Drunk Me
by Morphme
Summary: The years haven't been kind to Kim. She's found herself singing in a dive bar in Miami, drinking away the days with no real end in sight. She's at a loss, not knowing how to deal with the pain of loosing the two people in her life she treasured most. When one of those people shows up, the broken life she leads shatters even more. (Tommy/Kim fic)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm back! I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who reached out to me during my time of grief. It makes me appreciate our nerdy little community so much. I love you all and I'm glad I'm able to post this tonight!

Here is the new fic! It's titled Drunk Me and stars our favorite couple, Tommy and Kim. This will be a very heavy Kim fic as my stories usually are. This will be set in the early 2000's, right after Tommy's time in Dino Thunder. Also, Tommy and Kat were never a thing in this. They went on a few dates but that's it. There will probably be no Kat bashing due to this but you never know since I hate her hahaha.

As always, I own nothing. I leave that business to Hasbro. But, I will take JDF anytime. :D

* * *

 **Drunk Me**

 _1._

Fuck, someone turned on the sun this morning.

It felt like razor blades being sunken into my retinas as my eye lids drug themselves open. The instant pounding inside of my temples reminded me I had a pulse, meaning that I, Kimberly Ann Hart, had managed to survive another night. Though it sounded like a Monster truck rally was being held in my skull, I reached over and slammed my hand onto the alarm clock that was giving off that disgusting shrill noise. Once it was off, my hand slid off the end table and my arm drooped over the side of the bed. Why on Earth had I set the alarm? Clearly, I didn't have any motivation of doing anything today. Rolling on my side, I buried my face into my pillow and tried to coax myself into drifting back asleep. I was almost there when I heard my cell phone start to vibrate next to my head. Blindly, I searched for it with one hand. When I felt it under my fingers, I lifted my face so I could see the screen. Joey Ramone. My boss. Fuck.

"Hello?" I managed to croak out as I hit the answer button.

"Kim, you better not still be in bed." His deep voice said in my ear. The night before was starting to come back to me. I had set my alarm because I was supposed to be in early today to do inventory.

"I'm not. I'm getting ready." I lied, shifting so I was now sitting up. I let out a hiss as the room spun slightly from the movement. "Can you still pick me up?"

"Sure. I'll be there in fifteen. I'll be sure to bring coffee." I heard the smirk in his voice, and I glared at the wall in front of me.

"Good thinking." I heard the phone click and I set mine down on the bed next to me. The white tank top I had changed in to last night when I came home was crooked on my torso, my right boob practically hanging out of the arm hole. I still wore my jean shorts, my abilities not reaching that mark apparently. Half way was better than no way, I suppose. Taking a deep breath, I stood up. The dizziness hit me like a brick, causing me to stand perfectly still for a moment. As it subsided, I allowed my head to roll backwards so I was gazing up at the cracked ceiling above my head. The old familiar shapes where there; the triangle, the outline of Nevada and the perfect representation of Donald Trump. I had recognized them after the many long nights I had spent here, starring up at the ceiling. The lack of television will do that to a person.

Swearing under my breath, I finally braved the idea of walking. Using the wall for support, I found my way out of my closet sized bedroom into the hallway. I spotted my coat on the floor here, along with my shoes. It was amazing that I make it home clothed most nights. Shuffling my feet, I took a right and found the doorway to the bathroom. The curtain was drawn in here on the small window above the toilet. The porcelain was dingy and brown, opposed to the bright white it should have been. I lifted the seat and peered down into the water. A wave of nausea washed over me, and I gripped the toilet in my hands as the contents of my stomach projected from me. My whole body heaved as I threw up, the last bits of bar food I had consumed at some point last night making their way out. I continued to heave until nothing came out, telling me I had emptied the tank. Wiping my mouth, I flushed the toilet. It all washed away, not a single trace but the sour smell in the air. Slapping the seat back down, I plopped down onto it and pressed my face against the cool tile of the wall. The sink was directly in front of me and I propped my elbow up on it. My head felt like it weighed fifty pounds all on its own and I wished that it would just pop off my shoulders.

Bending forward, I opened the cabinet door under the sink and felt around until I felt my fingers graze what I was looking for. I wrapped them around the neck of a glass bottle before pulling it out. In my hand, I saw the bottle of Mr. Boston's vodka. The remaining liquor, about two thirds of a liter, splashed around inside of it. Twisting the cap off, I took a large swig from it. The burn didn't mix well with the acidity of my vomit in the back of my throat but a second and third sip made that pain vanish. I took a fourth for good measure before putting the cap back on and shoving it back into its hiding spot. Slowly, the feeling of death began to fade, and I was able to stand up from the toilet. I gingerly brushed my teeth, hoping to avoid the prospect of vomiting again. I knew Joey would be coming any moment now, so I decided to skip the shower. I quickly washed my hair in the sink, tossing it up into a pony tail when I was finished. Heading back to my room, I replaced my tank top with a cleanish bra and a t-shirt that had some construction company logo on it. I had no clue where it had come from. Probably some guy I had met at some point. It was comfortable and didn't make me feel like I was going to sweat to death today. That's all the mattered.

Now somewhat ready to face the day, I made my way from my bedroom to the kitchen. Well, I guess you could call it a kitchen. And a living room. My apartment was the definition of tiny. I had just enough room in this part of my house for a little loveseat, an end table, two chairs and a small table. The rest was filled with the fridge and stove my landlord supplied. If you sat on the couch, you could open the fridge. Though convenient, it gets really old when you're trying to do something. I don't cook much though. I prefer to have my meals on the go or when I'm at work. It's easier and cheaper that way too. Joey lets me eat for free while I'm on shift. Saves me a whole lot of money on food. And greasy bar food is some of the best food when you wake up feeling like a soggy kitchen sponge.

Walking over to the fridge, I pulled the door open and grabbed an off-brand name bottle of cold coffee. It was supposed to be better than the leading brand according to the label. I would beg to differ, especially after drinking the first on from the package the other morning. It passes as breakfast of some type I suppose and it helped settled my stomach slightly. I popped the cap from it and swallowed half the bottle in a couple sips. It helped wash down the vodka taste from my mouth. From my place in my kitchen, I saw a little red pickup truck pull into the driveway. I finished off the coffee as Joey honked his horn. Leaving the empty bottle on the table, I grabbed my purse from the back of the chair before heading out the door.

"You look like shit, kid." Joey's raspy voice said as I opened up the passenger side door of his truck. His thick accent that screamed he was from the Bronx seemed to almost penetrate my skull as he spoke. Reaching into my purse, I shoved my sunglasses on my face to help shield my eyes from the agony the sun provided.

"You're such a charmer." I muttered, securing my seatbelt. The thinning dark blonde hair on the top of his head was slightly gelled and spiked. His blue eyes looked bright in contrast to the black t-shirt he wore. Joey always tried to dress like he was younger than he actually was. He was edging towards sixty with a small pot belly growing that he tried to hide with designer jeans and tight shirts. It didn't work as well as I think he thinks it works but who am I to judge a guy for trying? Joey's a nice guy, someone who gave me a job when I was at my lowest. Granted, it's not singing at the Ritz, but it is singing, and it puts a roof over my head. I also make some extra money when he's down a bartender or needs someone to help pick up the slack when Becky, the head bartender, is out on maternity leave. She currently is, just popping out baby number three last week. He isn't a sleezy ball, something that is rare in this part of town and he watches out for us girls.

"So, what happened last night?" He asked, pulling out of my driveway and heading north up my street. I saw the typical people outside, the small gang that lives three doors up from me sitting on their front porch. They eyeballed Joey's truck as we passed but Marcus, the leader, smiled when he saw me. He was a nice boy, about nineteen. He was only 15 when I moved in and his mother insisted he help me move in my furniture when she saw me struggling. Him and his cousin, Jose, helped me out all day and both of them still come around, asking if I need help with anything. I guess calling him and his friends a gang is a bit presumptuous since I don't believe none of them could hurt a fly. But I have read in the paper where gang violence has been getting worse around town. Marcus' mother would more than likely beat him with a broom if he was involved in anything like that. Mrs. Santiago didn't play any games when it comes to her kids. Sometimes she yells so loud, I think I'm in trouble.

"Nothing." I muttered, squinting up the street. Joey scoffed as he took a left at the stop sign.

"Right. You stumbled out of the door about two last night. Hank said he thought he saw a guy following you to your cab." He peaked at me from the corner of his eyes.

"There wasn't anyone that I saw." I replied, frowning. Was there? I'm pretty sure if there had been a guy somewhere last night, he would have been next to me in my bed when I woke up. It's sometimes a common occurrence in my life, especially when I am feeling the need to entertain myself. "I think Hank is seeing things."

"Well, just in case, I think one of us is going to start bringing you to and from the bar. I don't want a repeat of last summer." I let out a small laugh that made my head hurt.

"Joey, I don't think a girl can get two stalkers in a lifetime. If that's the case, I'm going to play the lottery."

"I really wish you wouldn't joke about that. It's not funny." He replied, frowning in my direction. He's referring to an incident that occurred last summer. I was closing the bar up one Tuesday night. He had gone home, his mother needing him for something. Becky had been off, and I had told Hank, our bouncer, that he could leave too. A guy tried to come in after I had locked the doors. I told him we were closed, and he swore at me. The next thing I knew, he was showing up everywhere I was. If I was at the park with Becky and her kids, he was there. One time, Joey took me to the store to get food for a special party and the guy was there. I didn't think anything of it until I started seeing him outside of my house. I confronted him and he acted like he was just minding his own business. He even introduced himself as Gary Shipman, a contractor that lived just a few blocks up. I warned him to stay away from me. He didn't though. He started coming to the bar to watch me sing. I finally broke down and told Joey about it. He threw the guy out of the bar and Hank threatened to cut his dick off and feed it to his pitbull if he ever came back. We haven't seen him around since then.

"Trust me. If it was that psycho, we would know it." To the right of the street, the parking lot of the Glenmore Bar appeared. The truck shook as he pulled into the lot, the small bar looking surprisingly cheerful in the sunlight. It was a good-sized building, large enough for the bar and two offices upstairs. It was dressed in beige colored siding and a blue roof. A large sign that said Glenmore was perched on one side of the building. Neon lights that read the names of beers hung in the windows, their light not on since we weren't open. Wednesday is the only day we don't open for lunch. It's our inventory day and Joey makes sure to keep to that schedule.

"Just be careful, okay? I know you haven't had the best year and you're going through things-." He started but I cut him off.

"I'm fine, Joey. Really. I know how to take care of myself. Believe me." I yanked my seatbelt off and climbed out of the truck. He followed, pulling his keys to the front door. Together, we crossed the parking lot and he unlocked the door. The difference between the bright outside world and the dark bar was instant. It took my eyes a moment to adjust while Joey walked over to the fuse box. He flipped on the lights of the bar room and they seemed dim in comparison to the sun. The room smelled clean, the hint of lemon fresh in the air. I saw the fifteen tables in the main portion of the room, their chairs on them to make it easier to mop. The booths along the sides of the room also looked clean. Alan, our cook and janitor, does a great job in cleaning the place up after closing. I turned right and walked over to the long bar. It was made of a dark stained wood, chipped varnish covering it. Eighteen bar stools were lined up in front of it, the red leather on their seats looking slightly worn down. It was almost time for Joey to replace them again. He likes to do so every five or six years or so. Before, they were this gross green color. I liked the red but hoped he would go with black. It was a better color and would be easier to keep clean.

"I'll do the freezer and the fridge if you can man the bar." He said, gesturing towards the wall behind the bar. There was a large mirror here that ran the almost entirety of the bar. The bottles of our finest booze were set up here, the most expensive on the top shelf. Our cheapest was on the bottom, these varying in their amounts. I nodded, setting my purse on the bar top.

"Sure."

"Make sure you check the glasses too. I think I might need to order some more." He called before walking through the swinging door that led to the kitchen. Walking behind the bar, I grabbed the book that was kept next to the cash register that was older than I was. I flipped the book open to last week's inventory list. This was a print out of the different types of alcohol we have and how much we had last week. Once our amounts get below a certain level, we make a list of what we need to order. There was also a list for the sodas, juices, garnishes and other things we might use to make the mixed drinks.

Looking down the list, I found a cheap brand of rum that was almost full. Turning, I scanned the shelf until I saw it. Reaching out, I picked up the bottle and shifted it in my hand so I could see how much was in. It was still pretty full, probably only three drinks taken from it. Eyeing the door to the kitchen, I grabbed a plastic cup and poured it almost to the brim with the rum. I could smell the alcohol coming from the clear liquid as I twisted the cap back onto it. I put the bottle back before bringing the glass to my lips. I chugged the liquor, the plastic cup crinkling in my hand as I sucked the alcohol from it. I panted as it drained, tossing the empty cup into the garbage by my hip. On the inventory sheet marked with today's date, I marked that the bottle I had poured from was half full now.

I spent the next hour, going over each item in the bar. Now and then, I would take some of whatever I was measuring. I made sure to stick with the cheaper bottles, not wanting to screw Joey any more than I already was. I knew he got a great deal from the nearby liquor store, getting the cheap booze whole sale rather than the typical price. Besides, he never measures the amount of what Becky or Sandra, the other bartender, pour for each drink. Becky tends to underpour while Sandra, whose always hungry to get more tips, will overpour. A drunk customer is one who is more likely to give more in a tip, something she told me when I first started. She was right. Both of these things worked in my favor.

Drinking isn't something I just like doing. Granted, I usually have a grand ol' time doing it as long as I'm around good people. It's something I find that takes the edge of this shitshow I call life. Looking back, I never would have pegged myself as someone who needed to have a drink to get through the day, but I also never saw myself working in a dive bar in Miami, Florida. It is what it is though and you gotta take what life gives you. I wouldn't call myself an alcoholic or a drunk. I just drink because there's nothing else to do with my time. And plus, working at a bar is something that lets me drink for free. When I sing, Joey gives me free drinks. When I tend bar, especially nights Joey isn't here, I drink with my customers. They like it, I like it, and I walk out with more tips than I would if I didn't. Some nights when I'm not entirely drunk of my ass, I do find myself feeling ashamed of how I handle myself. That's when I typically go find myself someone to keep me company at night. It works, aiding to the fact I'm not interested in anything serious. Most of the time, I find guys like that too. It works for the both of us. I mean, now and then, I'll get a clinger but ghosting them is pretty easy.

Opening the small fridge under the bar, I grabbed the tubs that held the fruits we use for drinks. There were five in total and I lined them up on the bar. In the first tub, there were strawberries. They were cut up into slices mostly, the thicker pieces on the bottom. The next tub had black berries. Becky makes an amazing fizzy drink with blackberry rum and fresh berries that is to die for. Joey loves them too, so he added them to our drink menu. The remaining tubs held blue berries, limes, and lemons. My eyes lingered on the tubs for a moment, the colors of the fruit making the breath in my throat hitch. Red, black, blue, green and yellow. They are just colors, I mentally told myself. That's it. My eyes fell on the lemons, the bright yellow of their peels burning my eyes. I then realized it wasn't them that was hurting my eyes. It was the tears that were trying to form. I blinked them away, scooping up the bins and shoving them back into the fridge. Quickly, I scribbled on the sheet that we would need more of all of them. I didn't even bother to try to count them. I couldn't bring myself to do that right now. I glanced at the alcohol list and found a cotton candy flavored vodka that was pretty full. I took five gulps right from the bottle, the horrible artificial taste making me shudder more than the burn did. I made a mental note to never drink that shit again.

"How we doing out here?" Joey asked, coming from the kitchen. He wiped his hands on a dish towel, glancing over at me. I set the bottle down, giving him a smile.

"All done. I don't think we're going to need much before the weekend rush. How's the kitchen?" I asked, closing the book.

"No more than usual." He eyed me for a moment, something waiting on his lips to be said. He shook his head though, sighing. "Wanna go to the store with me? I could use the help."

"Sure." I replied, feeling the small rush of fear I hadn't noticed appear in my chest begin to subside. I was fine. He didn't know. There was no way he could have known. It's not like he has cameras here in the bar.

"Good. I'll get my truck."


	2. Chapter 2

2.

You know the weirdest part of not owning a television? Not knowing what's going on in the world. Granted, I do get the paper sometimes and I use the computer here to check my email once a week. I don't go out of my way to check the news though. It's something I don't care to do. It was a trait I learned when I was a teenager when I first oved to Florida. If I didn't see if with my own eyes or if it didn't directly concern me, I tended to not care. As selfish as it sounded, it worked for me. Now and then, though, I buckle and will watch the TV at the bar. Today was one of those days.

After helping Joey at the store, we came back here to put it all away. Alan was here by then, prepping for the dinner crowd. He offered to make me something to eat and I can never turn down a burger when it comes down to it. So, he made me a nice bacon cheeseburger and I sat at the bar to eat. Joey sat with me, sporting a chicken sandwich that Al had made him as well. He flipped on the TV just in time to see the noon time news come on.

"Good afternoon. Thanks for tuning in. Our first story comes from our national affiliate. Clean up has begun in the city of Reefside, California. Sources are stating that it is a confirmed monster attack. Officials are trying to determine the source of the attack, but the Power Rangers were quick to come to the rescue." The news anchor said. Joey slapped his hand on the bar as the news shifted into its next story.

"Jesus, I wish one of those monsters would attack closer to here. I would love to see a Power Ranger in person!" He said, his eyes widening at the idea.

"You want a monster to attack Miami?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well, no. But it's the only chance we'll get actual super heroes here. We could get a picture of them to hang up in here! Wouldn't that be something?"

"I suppose." I replied, taking a bite of my burger. Joey is a big fan of super hero movies and comics. It's something I always found out of character for the Bronx native. He once brought in some of his favorite comics to show Sandra's son who is 17. He turns into a little kid whenever he talks about the Power Rangers because he thinks they are real life super heroes. He went to California when he was younger, in hopes of seeing some action that would make them appear. He came back empty handed though.

"I still can't believe you grew up in Angel Grove and never saw them once." He said, shaking his head. "I mean, that was like ground zero for them!"

"It's not like they were just walking around all the time, Joe." I said, rolling my eyes where he couldn't see them. "They had more things to works about than making appearances. I heard that they were all pretty full of themselves anyway."

"I would be too! Always saving people. Using those big machine things to kill those monsters. Shit, I would walk around like my shit didn't stink." He took a big bite out of his sandwich and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I just think it would be neat to save the world. Live life like there is some kind a purpose, I guess."

"Something like that." I muttered. I finished my burger and pushed the plate aside. I hated when Joey goes on and on about the Rangers. It wasn't a big deal until about two years ago when they started appearing on the West Coast again. Suddenly, it was all he could talk about. It was also the main reason I still didn't own a television. I couldn't take the constant updates about monster attacks and more than likely teenagers in spandex, saving the world. I could barely stomach watching it now.

Like Joey said, I was born and raised in Angel Grove, California. It was the typical always sunny, Valley girl destination that you see in the movies. The only exception was that we started getting attacked by monsters. I know I've been drinking and all, but I promise that this is the true shit. This evil bitch named Rita Repulsa was freed from a space capsule and she decided after a 10,000-year nap that it was time to kill all of us on Earth. That's when the Power Rangers began appearing. They battled the monsters using their powers, weapons, and these large vehicles that could form together called Zords. The five Rangers saved Angel Grove again and again while maintaining secret lives. The only difference between them and Clark Kent was that they had algebra homework to do on top of saving the world.

By now, you're probably think how the fuck I know all this shit. Believe me, I wished I didn't. If you looked into old news stories on the Power Rangers, you'll see the team of five. The short, petite one dressed in the bright pink was in fact me. I was the original Pink Power Ranger. Zordon, an intergalactic being from another world, came to Earth to protect it. How does he do that? By putting five teenagers in charge of HUGE ass weapons. Yeah, I still don't understand it really. I know I should be super impressed with myself for being a Ranger and saving the Earth so much. I guess I was when I was younger. Things change though as you grow up. You realize that the way things happen result into why you are actual miserable with life rather than enjoying the one you had planned out for yourself.

The rest of the rangers were my friends. The blue ranger was Billy Cranston, my long time nerdy best friend. Black was Zach Taylor, an up and coming dancer at our school. Yellow was Trini Kwan, my once beautiful best friend who was full of grace and brains. Our leader was Jason Lee Scott, the red ranger. He was also one of my best friends and had been since we were little kids. Having the four of them with me was the best part of being a Ranger. It made me feel invincible and like I could take on anything as long as they were by my side.

Shit changes really quick in my life though. Another ranger popped up, this time a not so friendly one. He was an evil prick, his eyes set on destroying not only us but also anything associated with the Power Rangers. He was a good fighter and more than once, had us convinced we were doomed. It was then we discovered who our new enemy was. His name was Tommy Oliver. He was the new kid at school, a boy who had just transferred a week before the green ranger appeared. He was also the person my heart decided it should fall in love with the first moment I saw him.

My life in a fucking nutshell.

We did manage to free Tommy and he joined our team. He fit right in until his powers stopped working. Zordon was able to give him new powers, this time turning him into the White ranger. Jason, Trini and Zach left the team around them after getting picked for a peace conference. They left, Aisha Campbell, Rocky DeSantos and Adam Parks joining in their place. Our new team worked together well, and I stayed in close contact with the other three as well. Life was going great. Tommy and I were even together, forming a love that in my naïve teen mind I thought would never end. He was everything I had ever wanted in a person and was almost picture perfect. Tall, handsome, long hair. Brown eyes that could make a girl melt on command.

"Where the hell did you go?" Joey asked, pulling me from my thoughts. I blinked, looking at him confused.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You spaced out on me. Thought I would need to get a rocket to come find you." He replied, smirking.

"Sorry. What did you say?"

"Are you going to need the band tonight? Or just a mic?"

"Just the mic. I think I'm going to just do some mellow stuff. Not really feeling the whole girl power thing today." I responded, looking over my shoulder at the stage beyond the tables and chairs.

"Good thinking. I'll have Hank set everything up when he gets in. You mind doing some of the booking while I help Al set up for dinner?"

"Sure. If you need me, just call." Sliding off the bar stool, I walked around the left side of it where I found a staircase. Climbing them, I stopped at the landing between two doors. On the right was our storage room. It's where we keep our holiday decorations, extra amps, or anything else we might need. On the left was Joey's office. I opened the door and saw the typical mess he keeps it in. This is why he likes to ask me to do the books. He knows I can't stand to work like this. Sighing, I stepped inside and picked up the papers that were laying on the floor. I started sorting everything out, separating the receipts and the other forms he needed to run this place every day. I found our pay checks in one pile, still waiting for his signature. I set them in the window sill, a sticky note on them so he would see it. I finally made it to the top of the desk where his ledgers were.

Going through them, I marked off receipts from our trip to the store today. I added the amounts together and made sure to file them with his other tax forms. I also filled out the schedule, posting it on the wall where he usually keeps it. This is typically Becky's job but with her being a baby making machine, I've taken over this past year. I try my best to rotate the three off us so that we all get equal number of hours. When I'm not singing, I will put myself on if the girls need a night off. Joey will also fill in to help Al when we expect a heavy night. We're a pretty good team, even if we tend to get on each other's nerves now and then. About seven years ago, Joey lost his youngest daughter to his ex-wife in a horrible custody battle. I think he likes to consider us like his family because he has no one else really. His mother passed away at the beginning of the year and he hasn't had contact with his daughter in almost three. It makes me sad to think about because he's such a good father.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement out the window. Glancing, I saw it was a large bird flying through the sky. Standing, I walked over and leaned against the window frame. It was a long bird, it's legs out stretched behind it. The wings were about ten feet long as they were spread wide. It was a crane, a common sight around here with the various golf courses around. I could just make out the white feathers as it casted a shadow over me. It bent its wings, picking up speed and flew out of sight. It was a beautiful sight, one that brought a small smile to my face. The crane, once an animal that meant so much to me. Its signified grace, beauty, and agility. Everything I was always referred to as a kid. All of that was gone now, just an empty shell left to walk this Earth. One that couldn't afford a pity party at the moment.

Sighing, I walked over to the desk and finished up the rest of the paperwork. I closed the ledgers, tucking them in the drawer before heading back to the bar. Joey was behind it, cutting up limes on a small cutting board as I rounded the corner. There was a rag over his shoulder, and he hummed while he worked, an old country song I was sure. "Hey!" He said when he noticed me. "Al is finishing up his food prep. Hope the books weren't too rough this week."

"You are in the green." I replied, sitting on the stool in front of him. "After I found your desk, that is."

"Right. Sorry about that. I guess Momma was right when she said she didn't raise a tidy man." He said, grinning at me. He tossed lime slices into the bin before grabbing another one.

"Eh. Everyone has something they are ashamed of. As long as I still get paid on Fridays, you can be as messy as you want." I said, smiling at him. I reached over and grabbed a lime wedge. I bit into the sour fruit, liking the way it made my tongue curl.

"Well, thank you." He glanced over at the kitchen door quickly before leaning on the bar. "I need to talk to you."

"What's up?" I asked, chewing on the sour pulp.

"I noticed that you've been drinking quite a bit more than usual lately. I'm not one to judge but I'm starting to get concerned. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked in low voice.

"Joey, I'm young. I like to have fun. Drinking helps loosen me up before a gig. It's not a problem, I swear. I just drink because it's a bar." He gave me a suspicious look, sizing me up to see if I was lying.

"It's just with everything that happened with your friend-."

"Hey. I'm fine. I'm not a drunk. Just drop it, okay?" I spat, pointing a finger at him. He sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm going to head home and get ready for my shift. I'll see you shortly, alright?"

"Alright. Be careful." He called as I slid off my stool.

"Always am!"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter. Thank you for the reviews! I really hope you are enjoying this as much as I am enjoying writing it.

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 _ **3.**_

After finally getting to take a shower, I sat on the edge of my tub and soaked my feet. The suds were sitting on the top of the water, slowly fading away into the cooling water. Joey's concerned eyes floated through my mind. Each time they did, I took a sip from the Mr. Boston's bottle I had retrieved from under the sink. It was bottom shelf vodka, not getting me as drunk as the better stuff would. It did the trick after about half the bottle. I was in a happy tipsy place, that warm swimming feeling coming over me. It would be mostly gone by the time I decide to head back to Glenmore. I didn't have to be back for another two hours. This gave me plenty of time to ebb down the drunk feeling.

Gazing down at my legs, I saw the old familiar scar the circled my right knee. I glared at it for a moment, remember the day I got it very well. I had aced both of my routines during the qualifying rounds at the Pan Globals, a competition that the best of the Olympic hopefuls attended. It gave top athletes a chance to network and to show off their skills. I was on fire, scoring near perfect scores on each go. My coach, Coach Schmidt, had even mentioned that the gymnastic councils for the US team were already asking him about me. This was it. This was my sure-fire ticket to achieving my dreams. I would be heading home to Angel Grove, and Tommy, with a gold medal.

Fate has a funny way of fucking with people. I was almost done with my routine during the finals. All I had left was a perfect dismount, something I had done a thousand times leading up to that day. I knew as soon as I flipped off the balance beam that something was wrong. When I landed, a sharp pain went right up my leg, starting at my knee. I managed to keep my composure for the scores but the moment I went to step of the matt, I collapsed. Back at our tent, the doctors were convinced I had just torn a muscle or something. I placed first at the Pan Globals, Ellen Diaz from the Olympic team promising to call me about trying out for her team.

The next day, I saw a specialist who informed me that I had dislocated my knee cap. I would require surgery to fix it. He swore it would be an invasive surgery but one I would recover from nicely. Well, that was a big fat lie. While under the knife, he discovered I had also torn every ligament in my knee. There was too much damage to fix completely. He fixed what he could, allowing me to be able to walk again. I would never be able to perform gymnastics again, though. The damage to my knee was too risky. One wrong fall or landing and I would blow my entire knee out. He wouldn't approve me for knee replacement surgery either due to my age. He basically told me to deal with it and move on with my life. Something a seventeen year totally wants to hear after giving up their entire life to move down here for something.

Drying off my feet, I set them on the floor and stood. Steading myself on the sink, I allowed myself to look in the mirror. The years hadn't been the rough to me, I suppose. My brown hair was still the color of caramel, though it was in desperate need of a cut. My eyes were the same brown as well, a bit duller than they were when I was younger. There were small crow's feet in the corners of my eyes and lines in the corners of my mouth. The normal things a twenty-eight-year-old would experience. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I strolled into Angel Grove right now. Would anyone be there is recognize me? Would anyone recognize me? Not that it mattered now. All the people I cared about had gone elsewhere from what I heard through the grapevine.

I tossed the bottle under the sink, kicking the door shut with my big toe. Changing into a pair of dark skinny jeans and a black tank top covered in glitter, I straightened my hair and put on a light layer of makeup. It was Wednesday. That's college night. Joey offered a special to any kid with a college ID over the age of 21. It was one of our busiest nights. I often made a lot of tips on these nights, especially when I dress up like I'm younger. The kids buy we drinks and try their best to pick me up. I've let a couple of them, needing the company in my small apartment. I don't like to though. They tend to be the ones who want something more the next day. That's just something I'm not in the market for. I haven't dated anyone since I came to Florida and I like it that way.

Walking towards my living room, I grabbed my black sandals from the hallway. I slid them on to my feet, clasping them so they were secure. Out the window, I noticed Marcus and his mother walking their dogs up the street. He had a protective arm around her shoulders, and she was smiling. Glancing at the clock, I knew Hank would be arriving to pick me up shortly. I grabbed my purse and walked out the front door, making sure to lock it behind me. Mrs. Santiago looked up when she heard my door and she wave. "Kimberly! How are you?" Her thick Spanish accent called. I couldn't help but smile when she smiled at me. The woman was contagious.

"Hello. I'm good. How are you two?" I asked, stopping in front of the pair. You can tell just by looking at them that they were mother and son. Both had black hair, Marcus's cut short compared to Mrs. Santiago's long hair she always kept braided. I would guess she was about forty, her face more worn that a younger woman would be. She had soft green eyes that were always kind unless she needed to yell at her son or the other boys. Marcus has the same eyes, his brighter that his mother. Their dogs, a pair of pit bulls named Sugar and Spice, were the sweetest things that I've ever seen. Both wiggle in excitement until I ran my fingers over the tops of their heads.

"We're okay. Marcus is waiting to find out if he passed all his exams or not." She said, sounding proud. "He better have or else I will whip his butt."

"Oh, Mama. I told you I studied so hard. I'm sure I did okay." He said, looking embarrassed.

"He's a smart kid, Maria. I'm sure he did just fine." I said, giving him a wink.

"Thank you, Miss Kimberly. Do you need me to mow your lawn tomorrow?" Marcus asked, gesturing towards the tiny patch of grass the was in front of my porch. It was getting a bit high.

"Sure. Here." I reached into my purse and pulled my wallet out. Fishing out a twenty-dollar bill, I held it out to him.

"No. Keep your money. It's fine." Marcus said, shaking his head. I let out a chuckle.

"You're either going to take this money or I'm going to feed it to your dogs." He glanced from me to his mom before taking the money. "Use it for gas or whatever. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you, ma'am." He said, tucking it in his jeans.

"Don't call me that." I said, pointing a finger at him. "Makes me feel like a dinosaur."

"Well, if you're a dinosaur, I must be an ancient relic." Maria said, winking at me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Hank's gold colored minivan heading my way. The dark-skinned man waved at Maria and Marcus out the window as he parked along the curb. "Hello, Hank!" Maria called out. I smirked, trying to hide it as I glanced at Marcus. We both knew she was sweet on Hank. And I knew he totally had a thing for her as well. It was something I noticed when Hank came over to fix my sink not long after Joey hired me. Maria had stopped by to give me some leftovers she had and the two hit it off really well. They would be an adorable couple in my eyes. Hey, just because love isn't my thing doesn't mean that I can't hope others find it.

"Hello, Maria. Hi, Marcus." Hank said, opening the door and standing. He leaned his elbows on the top of his car and smiled widely at us. Hank lost his hair about twenty years ago, the sun reflecting off the top of his bald head. He had a kind smile and a greying goatee that made him look handsome for a guy heading towards sixty. He wore his usual black t-shirt that said security across the chest, and I knew his baseball cap was probably on the dashboard. I have a suspicion that Hank was either a cop or some type of military training just from the way he holds himself. He was a built guy, one that drunk guys typically do not want to fuck with. Joey did good when he hired him.

"You keep our girl safe tonight, okay?" Maria said, rubbing a hand up my arm. "Or else."

"Of course. That's why Joe pays me the big bucks." He flashed his teeth with a wide smile that I recognized as flirting.

"Something like that." I spoke. Leaning down, I gave Maria a quick hug and waved at Marcus. "Have a good night."

"You too, dear." Maria said as I walked over to the passenger side door. I pulled it open, climbing in as Hank said his farewells. Someday, the two of them will realize what's right in front of their faces.

"What a woman." Hank said, sliding into his seat and shutting the door. His hat was on the dash board like I had figured, and he pulled it on before pulling away from the curb.

"You should tell her that." I suggested. He let out a deep laugh, taking the same route that Joey had taken earlier.

"And you should take up comedy."

"And give up this lavish lifestyle? Please." I shot him a wink and he nodded.

"Just remember if you ever get discovered that you promised me a job on your security detail. I can whip any creep's ass before he can even think about getting close to you."

"I believe that." I replied. The fuzzy feeling from the vodka was gone now, a slight headache lingering at the back of my skull. Nothing a few shots at the bar wouldn't cure. Hank turned the radio up, listening to some news talk station. They were discussing the monster attack in California earlier last week, speaking about the amount of damage and the lives lost. My ears perked up when they mentioned the lack of activity since then on both the monster and Ranger front. I wondered what could have happened to make both go radio silent. Perhaps the Rangers had finally defeated their foe. Or both were just laying low to rebuild their resources. Regardless, I was glad to be 3,000 miles away from any of it.

* * *

"Evening, girls!" Paul Segman said as he slid into his typical stool at the bar. He was a skinny older man with white hair and a beard to match. He was a kind man who was a retired teacher. He had spent thirty-five years working for the science department at the local high school. After retiring a couple years ago, he spends most nights here with us. Shaking off his polyester suit coat, he hung it over the back of the stool and placed a twenty on top of the bar. Sandra, the fiery red head standing next to me, set a bottle of cheap beer in front of him. He reached over and grabbed a menu and a bowl of salted peanuts. He took a gander at the menu while popping a few peanuts in his mouth.

"What'll it be tonight, Paul? Al has a killer sauce for the wings. He let me try it earlier." I said, cleaning out the glass I was holding.

"Hmm…I'm not sure about that one. The heart burn that man gives me will be the death of me some day. I think I'll stick to Rueben. That's never treated me wrong." He closed the menu and set it back in its holder at the end of the bar. I wrote down his order on the pad in front of me, ensuring to add the order of onion rings he didn't need to ask for. He orders the same thing every Wednesday. You could set a clock by Paul and his actions.

"I'll put this right in." I ripped the sheet off the pad and walked towards the window around the corner that led to the kitchen. I spotted Al standing over the deep fryer, trying to get ahead on the wing orders no doubt. Al was a very round man who, like Hank, lacked any hair on the top of his head. And even though he only worked in a bar kitchen, he took his job seriously. He sports a chef's coat and kept the kitchen spotless. It would be safe to say the floor is almost clean enough to eat off of. He went to school for culinary, almost finishing his degree. His wife became sick though, forcing him to drop out. She's alright now but too much time has passed for him to go back, or so he says. His story is similar to Sandra. She was going to school to be a beautician when she found out she was pregnant. She was forced to take a job to support her son. Instead of going back, she focused on raising him the best she could. She's married then and has a daughter as well but mentions now and then that she wishes she could have finished. As you can tell, we're a bunch of outcasts here. It's something I take as a sanctuary. This is where I feel as home, more so than my actual house.

"Paul?" Al asked, eyeing my ticket. I nodded, putting it on the window ledge. Al sighed. "I already started his onion rings. I thought I saw him come through the door."

"Like clockwork. I'll be back in ten." He waved his spatula at me as I turned away from the window. Back behind the bar, I saw that there were more college aged kids sitting in the middle of the room than when I had left. Sandra was filling plastic cups with tap beer, placing them on a tray.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate college night?" She muttered, glancing at me as she filled another. "Joe better hope that ID scanner he has Hank using actually works. Half those boys look like they are in the 7th grade if they're lucky."

"And they'll get the drunkest." I replied, getting a nod from her. I eyed the group, wondering which one would be the best to bring home tonight. In my chest, I felt that familiar tug of loneliness I was so good at running from. It had been a while. Maybe there was a boy there that was slightly broken. It was just what I needed tonight.

"Better keep an eye on the clock. You're up in twenty." She said, scooping the tray up and heading around the bar to deliver the drinks. I kept an eye on her as she left, grabbing a plastic cup from under the bar. Once her back was turned, I poured some vodka into it. I caught Paul looking at me from over a slightly ripped copy of To Kill A Mockingbird. I never understood why the man comes here to read. It's loud. It's dark when I'm on stage. I raised an eyebrow at him as I put a splash of cranberry juice in the cup too.

"I thought you were a science teacher." I said, taking a sip from the glass. I hated putting the juice in it. All it did was slow down its effect.

"I was. But you have to honor those classics." He said, holding up the novel. "This was my wife's favorite book."

"I read it in high school. It was one of the better ones they made us read." I responded as I spotted Sandra heading back towards the bar.

"Most of the morals fall on the deaf ears of babes." Paul said, giving me a wink before turning back to his book. I downed the rest of my drink before Sandra made it back behind the bar. I toss the cup into the garbage, making it look like I was just cleaning the bar top.

"I guess those boys aren't too bad tonight." She said, holding up a twenty-dollar bill between her fingers.

"That's what they tipped you?!" I exclaimed. She nodded, tucking it into her apron. "They aren't even drunk yet. I think tonight is going to be a good night after all."

"I think so too. Wanna take a shot before you go on stage for good luck?" She smiled, grabbing two shot glasses from under the bar. I nodded and she set them on the wood. Thinking, she regarded the bottles behind us for a moment. Standing on her tippy toes, she grabbed the most expensive bottle of tequila on the shelf. "I think this will do the trick." She winked, pulling the lid off. She poured the shots, sliding one towards me. I gripped the little glass between my fingers as she did the same. Lifting it, we clinked the glasses before downing the tequila in one gulp. She shivered from the burn, but it did nothing to me. It tasted good, unlike cheaper kinds. It was smooth and felt warm as it hit my belly. That was something I needed more of alright.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Another chapter! I am loving the reviews by the way. They are really helping me find the motivation to write more. I hope you all continue to enjoy it and will review some more.**

 **Tommy is coming. Just hang tight! lol**

 **I own nothing, including the Power Rangers, the songs Kim will be singing and the brands of alcohol mentioned. I'd be writing fanfiction on a lot nicer computer if I did.**

* * *

 _ **4.**_

The warmth that was wrapped around me felt so incredibly fucking nice that I wanted to just sink into it for the rest of my life. It was like being tucked in a blanket fresh from the dryer on the coldest winter day. I fought to hold it closer to me for as long as possible as I felt the heaviness of sleep begin to fade. In its absence, the throbbing pain of a hangover was beginning to appear. Moaning, I allowed my eyes to slowly open. Well, there was no blinding sun this morning at least. Outside my window, I saw it was raining. I was thankful for that at least. I closed my eyes again, telling myself to just sleep the day away. My subconscious allowed this, letting me begin to fade out again.

"Morning, beautiful." A voice whispered. It was warm and swam around my head.

"Tommy?" I asked, confused as to why he was there. How he could be there. I was pulled from the slight slumber state and I whirled around to see there was indeed a form laying in the bed next to me. I jumped from the bed as fast as I could, practically slamming myself into the wall behind me. The bare-chested form of Tommy Oliver looked up at me, a look of confusion on his face. I'm sure it was nothing close to the one of mine. What the fuck was he doing here? How had he gotten here? Why was he in my bed?

"Whose Tommy?" He asked. I blinked and suddenly, Tommy dissolved into a guy with shaggy brown hair, blue eyes that were almost piercing. Pain radiated in my head from my quick bolt out of the bed. I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. Last night slowly came back to me in fuzzy pieces. Tommy wasn't here. This kid was just some random college kid who had been at the bar. I let him buy me drinks all night until I was numb enough to let him bring me home. "Is that your boyfriend or something?"

"What? No." I replied, opening my eyes. The guy – whose name I couldn't currently fucking remember – sat up in my bed and leaned against my headboard, making himself comfortable.

"Oh. I thought maybe you had a husband or something that was going to be showing up. So…do you have anything to cook breakfast with?" I looked at him, wanting to know how funny he thought he was. Instead, he was looking at me with an expectant expression. This young little shit thought that I was going to cook him breakfast? Please. I don't even cook for myself.

"Get out." I muttered before staggering out of the room. I was a little relieved to see I was dressed in underwear and some kind of tank top at least. I heard the kid scoff, hopping out of the bed to follow behind me.

"What do you mean get out? We had fun! I thought we could hang out—." He said, coming from my room. Each word was piercing my sore brain, causing the level of nausea to raise. I stopped, glancing at him over my shoulder.

"Listen, kid. Learn how to act the next morning if you're going to have a one-night stand. And maybe learn how to give a girl an orgasm too. I get you're a beginner but even kids in middle school know how to finger a girl somewhat." I spat. He gaped at me, as if he couldn't believe the words I had said. "Now, I'm going to go vomit in the bathroom. If you're not gone by the time I'm done, I will go get the angry Mexican woman I keep across the street."

"Whatever, you fucking bitch." He called as I stepped into the bathroom and shut the door. I could slightly hear his stomping over the sound of my vomiting into the toilet. I knew he was gone when I heard the door slam below. Collapsing on the floor, I leaned against the side of the tub and grabbed the almost empty bottle of vodka. I chugged the rest, dropping the empty remains next to me.

"What's wrong with you?" I whispered, talking to myself. Why did I think that kid, who will forever be nameless to me, was Tommy? I didn't recall having a dream about him or anything. The alcohol tends to stop those from happening. So, why did I see him? Was it from the kid calling me 'Beautiful?' If that was the case, I was more pathetic than I thought. Which was really saying something. Gripping the edge of the tub, I hoisted myself up off the floor and saw a discarded pair of shorts in the corner behind the door. I slid them on, the pain in my head seemingly growing dim from the aid of Mr. Boston. I tossed my hair into a bun and left the bathroom.

Downstairs, I opened my fridge and saw I was lacking anything that I could probably stomach. It flopped at the thought of eating, so I shut the door. The clock on my stove said it was almost noon. I wasn't due back to the bar for work until four. My body begged for me to lay back down in my bed and go back to sleep. I fought it though, knowing the hangover would just be worst waking up a second time. Instead, I took a shower to try to feel human. It worked, breaking me out of the gross feeling that had developed me. After, I cleaned up my room and pulled the sheets from my bed. I dumped them into the washing machine in my basement. While they washed, I cleaned the rest of my apartment. As I worked, I drank from a new bottle of vodka that I pulled from my fridge. The more I drank, the less work I managed to get done. I managed to complete all of my laundry by the time I gave up and sat on my couch.

Outside, the rain was not letting up. It pelted my windows, staining the glass with droplets of water. It made everything feel dreary, something I found welcoming. I closed my eyes, listening to the raindrops land. It was soothing, almost like the sound of light footsteps on a wooden floor. Something about it in my slightly tipsy stupor made it feel like a melody to my ears. In my mind, I pictured water droplets hitting the surface of the Angel Grove pond. The way the water would ripple and the frogs that lived in the water would come to the surface to enjoy the shower. The smell of the ocean spray would wash over Angel Grove then, the salt wafting through the air. I could feel wet sand sinking under my bare feet as I ran along the shore of the pond, laughter ringing behind me as I did. It wasn't mine. It was deep and made my heart flutter.

"Wait til I catch you!" The voice called and I heard myself let out a squeal of delight as I was lifted off the ground in strong arms. Though they were strong, they were comforting, not offending. The smell of the rain mixed with that of pleasant aftershave and I felt arms pull me close against them. "Never leave me." The voice whispered in my ear.

"Stop it!" I called out, startling myself as I flung myself off the couch. I shook my head, shoving the thoughts out of my mind. My fingers trembled as I tried to think of anything else. This shit needed to stop. This was why I drank. It was supposed to stop these thoughts. Not make them come forward. I swore, feeling tears fill my eyes. I needed to get the fuck out of this house.

* * *

"You're early." Joey said as I ran through the door of the bar, holding my coat over my head to protect my hair from the down pour. I shook the excess water off as the door closed, sliding the coat off. He was behind the bar, counting money from the register from lunch.

"Yeah. I had to run some errands first so I figured I would just come here instead of making the trip home." I replied.

"Hi, Kim!" Al called from the kitchen, his voice carrying through the empty bar.

"Hey, Al." I called back, walking over to the bar and sitting in the stool in front of Joey. I was feeling slightly better now. The panic of my thoughts was gone, my car ride with Marcus keeping my mind busy. I don't like to ask them from rides because it makes me look like a charity case, but I couldn't wait for Joey to come pick me up. Joey sighed, closing the drawer of the register. He grabbed a plastic cup and started making a rum and coke. He popped some cherry syrup in there as well, setting it in front of me. "Thanks." I said, taking a sip of the drink.

"You okay?" He asked, leaning on the bar. "You look like you saw a ghost."

"Yeah. Just a long night. I'm fine." I said. This was a statement I've been very good at repeating lately, even though it wasn't true. I took a large gulp of the drink, the ice swirling in the cup.

"You don't have to perform tonight if you don't want. You are allowed a day off." He pointed out.

"Isn't that what Sundays are for? God's day of rest." I smirked at him, running a hand through my hair.

"Even God takes vacation." He responded, grabbing the money that he had shoved into the grey colored locked bag. "I'm going to the bank. Wanna come with?"

"Nah. I think I'm in need of some of Al's cheese fries. I'll start prep here though."

"Alright. I'll be back soon." He walked towards the door and grabbed his coat from the rack. Pulling it on, he lifted the hood to cover his head. With a quick wave, he slid out of the door and into the parking lot. Hopping off the stole, I walked over to the kitchen window where I spotted Al chopping up chicken into strips.

"Hey, Al. Can I trouble you for some cheese fries when you get a free minute?" I asked.

"Anything for you!" He replied, smiling at me.

"Thanks." I patted the ledge before heading back towards the bar. I heard him move around, telling me he was busy. I grabbed my glass and dumped the ice out. I poured more rum into the cup, not adding anything else. I chugged the liquor in a matter of seconds, loving the way it burned slightly in my chest. Instant relief came over me and I closed my eyes. As much as I hated that I needed to do this to get through the days sometimes, that feeling of the alcohol washing over your senses is something nothing else compares to. It always reminded me of slipping into a warm bath, not having to worry about finding a way of out the water. It was heaven in a bottle, something I will always try to escape to on days like today.

I remember the first time I ever drank alcohol. I was fifteen years old, times were slow in our Power Ranger duties. Jason invited us over to his house while Mr. and Mrs. Scott were out of town for their anniversary. The suggestion of raiding the liquor cabinet came up. It was something that none of us nerds had ever considered before. We figured it would be a great idea. Two hours later, the boys were trying to wrestle each other on the living room floor while Trini and I sat giggling on the couch. I have never laughed that hard in my entire life. It was one of the few times I felt like a normal teenager. Jason caught hell the next morning when his aunt came over to check on him and found six hung over teens sleeping on the living room floor. After that, the only time we really drank was when we had some free time over the summer or when Rita and Zedd were taking a hiatus. Those moments were few and far between, but we always had fun, like normal everyday kids.

"Here, Kim." Al said, walking around the corner and breaking my thoughts. He held a basket of fresh French fries, cheese melted over the top of them. These were my absolute favorite thing to get when I'm here. I have no clue how he does it but somehow, every single free ends up with a layer of cheese on it. I noticed he tossed some bacon bits and sour cream on top as well. He's God sent.

"Oooooh, thank you!" I said, reaching out to take them. "Wanna sit and have lunch with me?"

"Sorry. I gotta make sure we have enough food thawed for tonight. You can come sit back there with me if you want." He replied, wiping his hands on his apron.

"Nah. I gotta start doing the prep up here. Maybe tomorrow."

"Sure, kid. I'll make pizza and wings special."

"Awesome." He smirked, heading back towards the kitchen. Suddenly, the big empty bar room felt colder. I pour another drink, as well as a glass of ice water. Somehow, vodka doesn't wash down cheese fries that well. I shot down the liquor, tossing the glass away as I got to work eating my fries and chopping the fruit.

* * *

You know that feeling you get right before you're going to vomit? Like that stomach-churning feeling that is your stomach about to turn itself inside out from your body. It's something I'm very familiar with. Not in a Lifetime movie about anorexia kind of way. More in a way that my body is begging for more water and less liver killing substances. It was something my body told me every morning but sometimes, the bitch has got to learn to shut her mouth. The hallway to the bathroom seemed to be spinning as I made my way to the ladies' room from the bar. I was due on stage in about twenty minutes and I knew if I was going to toss my cookies, it needed to happen now.

Shoving through the door, I was relieved to find it empty. I darted into the first stall, barely in time to throw up in the toilet. For a moment, I was absorbed in the thought it was so much cleaner than mine. In my drunk stupor, the dumbest little things matter to me. I rest my arm on the back of the seat, giving my forehead somewhere to set as I heaved my stomach contents into the bowl. Relief washing over me as the feeling of dying subsided. Once the heaving stopped, I slid back against the brick wall. Closing my eyes, I rested the back of my head against it as well.

"You think he's cute, don't you?" Trini's voice said in my ear. The sound of boys stretching could be heard and in the distance, the echo of an announcer over a microphone carried.

"No." I said, trying to figure out what she was talking about.

"Come on. Look at that hair. I think he is more your type though." She replied, a chuckle in her voice. I felt her arm around my shoulders and the smell of a gym wafted through the air, replacing the vomit sourness. I was at the Youth Center. It was Jason's tournament today.

"He'd never like me." I said, my voice sounding far away as I struggled to keep my head up.

"Girl, please. He keeps looking over at you."

"Who?" I whispered.

"I think they said his name was Tommy. He's new at school." How did I get here? Everything felt hazy, like I was seeing things through the hotness off black top in the dead of August. "Want me to talk to him for you tomorrow?"

"No." I said, shaking my head. It wobbled, weighing about a hundred pounds.

"C'mon. It'll be fine. I promise. That's what best friends are for."

"Trini?" I asked. She came in and out of focus in front of me, her concerned almond shaped eyes looking down at me.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Trini…" I said softly.

"I think you need some water." The voice suddenly changed and the world around me came back into focus. Trini transformed in Sandra, her red hair taking the place where Trini's long black hair had been. I looked up at her confused.

"Where's Trini?" I asked, my senses still fogging.

"Who?" She questioned, helping me to my head. The world went off kilter and I stumbled a few steps. She held on to me though, making sure I wasn't going to fall. I was at the bar. I'm in the bathroom. Trini isn't here. She was never here.

"No one." I muttered, getting my bearings. "Is it time for me to go on?"

"Yeah but you don't have to if you're not feeling well, honey." She said. I shook my head, stepping away from her.

"I'm alright. I just have to clean up and I'll be out. Tell Joey to give me five more minutes." I said, leaning on the sink. I didn't dare look up into my reflection.

"You sure?" She asked, resting her hand on the door. I nodded, gazing up at her reflection in the mirror.

"Yes. Thank you." She gave me one last look before disappearing into the hall. I sighed once she was gone, turning on the cold water. It was just a day dream produced my alcohol. Something that happens all the time. At first, it was something that would make me want to drink. But after a while, it would hurt more to see the past rather than make me feel better. I found if I drank more and more, the flickers would disappear or not happen all together. I cupped the water in my hands and splashed my face. It did little to make me feel like I wasn't dying but I felt more grounded at least. The spinning had stopped, and I knew I would fall on my face when I walked. I turned off the water before heading out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: SURPRISE! Two chapters in one day? Say whattt? And it's a long one too! Remember to read and review!**

* * *

 _ **5.**_

Marcus was already hard at work, mowing the small patch of grass in front of my apartment when I stepped outside the following morning. The rain the day before had prevented him from completing it but now, he was pushing the lawn mower across the blades. He waved and smiled when he saw me, not stopping what he was doing. Across the street, I saw his mother sitting on the front door. She was doing something with yarn on a round object but stopped to wave like Marcus. I waved back, doing my best to ignore the throbbing behind my eyes. I hadn't woken up and laid vigil to my toilet this morning, a rarity in my life these days. It was probably because of the water Sandra had made me drink last night between sets. I still managed to get drunk but the effect this morning wasn't as debilitating at they usually are. But still, the sun and the sounds of the lawn mower were cutting through my skull just the same.

Joey was already sitting at the curb, his engine running idly as he waited. I could see him doing something on his cell phone, the silver flip phone looking small in his larger hands. As I pulled open the door of his truck, he tucked his phone into the visor above his head and smiled at me.

"Morning, Kim." He said cheerfully. He pointed at the cupholders between us where two Styrofoam cups that held Dunkin Donuts logos were perched. "Two sugars, one cream and a huge shot of caramel."

"Bless you." I mumbled, putting my seat belt on. I took the cup that said caramel on the side and took a sip. The warm liquid went down smoothly, giving my soul a hug. He always knew just what I needed when I felt like this.

"I figured you might need it. Thanks for helping me today. I know Al feels bad and everything." He stated, pulling away from the curb and heading to the bar.

"I think I can survive tending bar in the middle of the day for a few hours." I replied, smirking at him. Al had to take the lunch time off to take his wife to her remission checkup. These happen every year and he prays all the rest of the days that her cancer stays away. So far, he's on a nine-year lucky streak. Hopefully, today make number ten. While he's gone, Joey would be running the kitchen while I manned the bar. It wouldn't be a big thing for one person to run both, but it was Friday. It's a busier lunch rush and Sandra wasn't able to come in early for her shift. I volunteered, knowing that not only would Joey need the help, I would be working the bar without anyone around. If that wasn't a golden ticket to some free booze, I didn't know what else would be.

The rest of the drive was quiet, me nursing the cup of coffee like it was the Elixir of Life. It might very well be with the boot it sent throughout my body. I was almost human by the time we reached the bar. My headache was only slightly irritating rather than throbbing and the sun didn't make me want to claw my eyes out. It was a good sign that I wasn't dying at least. Joey unlocked the bar and headed straight to the kitchen. I followed behind him, helping pull out the already prepared tubs of meat the Al would want thawed for the dinner rushes. The meat for lunch was already in tightly sealed bags in the fridge, following the food safety regulations. Joey turned the fryers on to start the oil and I left him to prep the bar.

For the lunch hour, we only serve beer. It makes it easier on the bar staff and allows us to prep for the dinner rush better. Now and then, you might see something fruity go out if we have a couple here for lunch. It's typically the women who ask for mixed drinks during the day. But we also have wine as well to help with that. I stacked the beer mugs in the freezer below the bar and checked the taps to ensure they were running at the right temperature. If not, they would not give the best beer. All seemed to be in order, so I made a quick drink of rum and pineapple juice. It was sweet, strong and tangy. The perfect way to start my shift.

Regulars began to trickle in, sitting at the bar and the booths along the edges of the bar room. I made sure everyone had a menu, took drink orders and made my rounds with them once they were filled. Whenever I put in a food order, I made sure to put the table number on it as well. Joey would call out the table number and I would run it, asking if they needed drink refills at the same time. It was a good system and flow we had going, along with the occasional drink I would have during slow moments. I was making great tips too, tucking them into my apron as I went along the room. Keeping my hands busy and my mind preoccupied was something I needed, and I felt a genuine smile on my face as I bid a farewell to some of my customers as they left. There were a few stragglers still in the bar about three when Joey came out of the kitchen, rag in hand. I was standing behind the bar, drinking vodka from a water bottle. It was a new idea I got while I was bussing the tables. I wouldn't have to hide the bottle as much as I did my cups.

"That was quite the rush." He sighed, sitting in one of the bar stools. I nodded, grabbing a can of cola from the fridge and setting it in front of him. "Thanks."

"No problem. We did good though. I think Alan should take more Fridays off." He snorted at my comment.

"I think not. I'll pay him double to never let him take another lunch rush off again." Opening the soda, he slurped a sip down. "I'm glad you came to help me though."

"Any time. Unlike the other girls, I really have no life." I wiped the bar top down with the rag hanging from the taps next to me. Joey glanced over his shoulder, seeing the only remaining customers were a couple in the farthest booth. They had been here a while, enjoying some appetizers and two bottles of beer each. They were cute, probably about 21 if they were lucky and seemed to enjoy each other's company. She would laugh sometimes at something he said, and he looked at her like she was perfect. It was disgustingly cute. Part of me wished they would leave. I know they weren't doing something, but they made me feel awful just the same.

"Young love. Ain't it something?" Joey asked, turning back around.

"So, I've heard." I muttered, tossing the rag bag onto the unused tap handle.

"I thought you had a guy you were with back in Cali?" Joey questioned. "Timmy, or something?"

"Tommy. It wasn't anything serious. Just a high school relationship that went nowhere." I replied. I cursed myself for my drunk rambles sometimes. My boss knew too much about me because of them.

"Still something. You'll find someone. You're young and pretty."

"I didn't find someone. My stalker, remember?" I replied, smirking at him. He chuckled, nodding his head.

"I mean, if all else fails I suppose that would be an option." He took another sip of his soda and set the can back on the bar. "In all serious though, if anything like that happens again, you make sure you tell me. Or Hank. Or anyone. You know you can talk to me about anything. Anything at all." His eyes flickered over to the water bottle as I picked it up for a sip.

"I know." I said, a small pang of guilt hitting me in the chest. I removed the cap and gulped a mouthful of the vodka down. Twisting the cap back on, I shoved the bottle into the pocket of my apron. "If something was wrong, you'd be the first one to know, Joe."

* * *

Alan and Sandra came in together, a few minutes before five. Al had a pep in his step as he walked in and surprised me with a giant bear hug. "Good news I take it?" I asked as he set me back down. HE nodded, smiling proudly.

"Still cancer free! Doc gave her a clean bill of health. I'll have my girl with me for a long time." He said, slapping Joey on the back. "I'm in a fantastic mood! I think that calls for a new wing sauce tonight. I'm going to see what I can whip up." He whistled as he strutted back towards the kitchen, leaving Sandra standing with Joey and I, shaking her head.

"I have no clue what Amelia sees in that man." She said, walking over and grabbing her apron from the hook behind the bar. "How was lunch?"

"Not bad." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "We had a good turn out and I think we did okay. Let's see what the horrors of tonight bring."

"Probably nothing good, that for sure." She pulled her red hair back in a bun, securing it with a hair tie. Joey excused himself to his office where I knew he would hide until the bar was packed full for the Friday night crowd. We didn't have a theme for tonight, per say. Around certain times of the years, we throw parties on Fridays. Christmas, St. Patrick's Day. All the typical bar holidays that always draw in a crowd. On regular days like today, it's just a typical night at the bar with two for one drink specials. That always brought the college kids back and local business men and women looking for a fun happy hour. First though, it would be the dinner rush. People coming for food before the people who came from the booze, hoping to avoid that scene. They were trickling in now, filling in the booths and tables.

This rush went more smoothly than the lunch rush. Sandra was a natural bartender where I was not. I could make most of the mix drinks people asked for but if it was any fancier, I'd be lost. Pouring beer was more my gig and Sandra knew that. Our system worked that I would pour the beers while she made the drinks. While I ran the filled orders, she would be taking the new ones. I felt bad because she would be doing everything on her own once it was eight. When I play, I can help her serve and tend bar. Joey would be back down by that point though and he would make sure she had help. Unlike most bosses, he doesn't leave us high and dry when it's busy. Mostly because he loves the buzzing of a busy bar as much as the next bar fly. He also has a good relationship with all our regulars. Joey is the ideal bar owner, even if he doesn't see it.

More people began to file in as the clock neared seven thirty. Joey appeared then, helping Sandra and I take orders and run food. I was serving a table full of women dressed in business attire when I heard loud laughter behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw it was a booth filled with college kids. They all seemed to be looking in my direction. Groaning to myself, I put the last martini glass on the table before turning towards the kids.

"Hey, boys." I said, smiling. "What can I get you to drink?" I held my pad in one hand and the pen in the other. There were six boys in total, each sporting t-shirts with logos or college names on the front. Across from me sat a kid with black hair and green eyes, a smirk on his face as he looked up from his menu.

"I think we're going to start with two shots of tequila each. And two for you as well." I shrugged, jotting it down on the pad. If the rich spoiled kid wanted to buy me expensive booze, it was his own issue.

"I'll be right back!" I announced. I tucked the pad into my apron and headed towards the bar. Sneaking passed Sandra, I walked behind the bar and grabbed seven shot glasses. Placing my hand on the neck of the bottle, I grabbed the more expensive tequila and walked back over to the table. Two of the boys shifted so I could set the glasses on the table top. I poured the liquor into the small glasses and each boy took one. The one who had spoken before pushed the remaining one towards me. I glanced over at Joey who was talking to Paul at the bar, not looking in my direction. I picked up the shot glass and down it, the boys following suit. There was a roar as they slammed their glasses down and I refilled them. We repeated, the slight burning feeling trickling down my throat as I swallowed.

"Woah!" The boy to my left said, shivering from the tequila. "You are fun."

"Thanks. Can I get you guys some beers to wash that down with? We also have a wing special tonight too." I replied, grabbing the empty glasses and stacking them together.

"I think beer would be good. We'll take three pitchers." The boy who had ordered the shots said.

"Alright. That'll be right up." I smirked at them before heading back to the bar. I tossed the dirty glasses into the wash bin and put the bottle back. "Hey, Joey?" I called, glancing at the clock. He looked up from Paul. "Can you get Table 1 three pitchers of beer? I have to get ready to go on."

"Sure thing! Break a leg." He patted Paul on the back as he walked around the bar to where Sandra was filling cosmopolitans by the glass. Untying the apron from around my waist, I hung it on the hook and grabbed my water bottle. It was about three quarters of the way full, vodka sloshing around inside of the plastic container. I walked around the small mob of people in front of the bar and headed for the stairs that led to Joey's office. I had put my change of clothes up there when I came in earlier. I jogged up the steps and locked the door behind me as I entered.

I made quick work of changing out of my t-shirt and jean shorts, pulling on a pair of dark blue jeans with rips in the knees and an off the shoulder red shirt. It was something cute I had found at a thrift store a few months ago that I like to wear when I sing. It lets me play the guitar and have the full range of mobility with my shoulders. I retied my tennis shoes, making sure they were on tight. Then, I chugged the rest of the water bottle until the plastic sucked into itself in my hand. It released when I pulled it from my lips, wiping the moisture with the back of my hand. I threw the bottle into the garbage can by the door before heading back downstairs. I made eye contact with Joey who nodded, heading for the stage. Hopping up there, he stood in front of the microphone and smiled out at everyone.

"Evenin', folks. I'm Joe and I am the proud owner of the Glenmore. I wanna thank everyone for coming out tonight. I want to also introducer our entertainment for the evening. She's a former gymnastic with pipes that can knock your socks off. Miss Kimberly Hart!" He clapped, the rest of the room following him as he held a hand out towards me. I walked towards the stage, plastering a smile on my face as I did. I grabbed my guitar that was set up on the stage, pulling the strap over my head so it was resting on my neck.

"Hi, everyone! Thank you for coming out. Like Joey said, my name is Kimberly and I'm going to sing for you. If I play something you like, feel free to sing along." I strummed my fingers over the strings and started playing the opening chords of Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood. It wasn't one of my favorite songs, but it was extremely popular right now and the calls I got from some of the girls in the audience reinstated why I start with it. "Right now, he's probably slow dancing with a bleach blonde tramp and he's probably getting frisky." Ha. How fitting.

I made my way through the first verse and belted out the chorus. I could see girls singing along with me and several of the people at the bar had turned to watch me. This was something that felt a hundred times better than any kind of drink. Performing for people always made me feel like I was meant to be up on stage. I used to sing when I saw a kid, but it wasn't anything I saw myself doing with my life. Gymnastics were my future. Well, we all know how fucking well that ended up working out for me. This was different though. I knew I would never sell out stadiums, but I was content singing at the Glenmore to regular people just looking to have a good time. It was simpler that way and let me feel like I was soaring high above the clouds. Something I would never be able to give up.

"Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats." I finished, grinning around the room. It exploded in applause, several people hooting as they clapped. "Thanks!" I breathed, glancing over to the bar. I caught Sandra's eye who nodded, grabbing a cup. I saw her pour some red colored juice in it along with vodka. She handed it to Joey who walked towards the stage, handing it to me. I thanked him, taking a big sip before setting it on the stool next to me. "Well, I hope everyone is having a great time tonight. It's been a really long week, hasn't it?" There were a few cheers of agreements as I took another sip. "Well, let's see if I can cheer you up!"

I played a few more songs including a one by Dixie Chicks and Reba McEntire. People got up and were dancing in front of the stage, having fun. It thrilled me to see the smiles on their faces. Women danced with their friends while couples twirled each other around the dance floor. I added another song by Kelly Clarkson to round up the faster songs. When it ended, people applauded again. I finished my drink, Joey replacing it quickly as I pulled the stool over so I could sit in front of the microphone. I adjusted it to fit my height before balancing my guitar on my thigh. I felt the buzz of the drinks begin to set in, my eyes moving slower than they were supposed to. It was a good feeling, mixing well with the thought of being on stage like a chaser.

"Da da da da da da." I sang, slowly strumming the chords. "Grew up in a small town. And when the rain would fall down, I'd just stare out my window. Dreamin' of what could be, and if I'd end up happy. I would pray. Trying hard to reach out, but when I tried to speak out, felt like no one could hear me. Wanted to belong here, but something felt so wrong here. So, I pray I could breakaway." I closed my eyes as I sang, feeling the words slip from my lips like they belonged there. When I first heard this song, it made me think of when I left Angel Grove. It used to give me this feeling that I had one the right thing. Like I was in the right might for going and I was being a bit down on myself for hating my reasons for leaving. It was a lie though. I knew it now. But it was an easy song to sing and people liked it. Not every song needed to have emotions behind it to sing.

Opening my eyes, I glance out at the crowd. A flash of black hair in the back of the room made me look that way. There was a woman standing there, her hair long and down her back. I blinked twice, knowing full well I couldn't be seeing who I thought was standing there. Trini was on the outskirts of the crowd, smiling up at me as I sang. The more I blinked though, the quicker she dissolved into someone else who was watching me. Tears pricked the back of my eyes and I forced that back, not wanting to cry on stage. I couldn't bring myself to be that pathetic again.

The rest of my set went without incident though I did see Trini in a few more places around the room. Thankfully, it was nothing that the drinks Joey kept giving me didn't cure. By the time I finished, there was no Trini to be found nor did I feel any kind of pain. I said good night to everyone and stumbled off the stage. The crowd parted so I could pass, and I headed to the bar where Joey was talking to Hank. Both stopped when I approached.

"How'd I do?" I asked, nodding over at Sandra who made me another drink. She set it on the bar, and I shot it back, not even tasting it.

"Good job. You sounded amazing." Joey said. "Hank's gonna give you a ride home. You ready?" I shook my head.

"I can wait until closing. I don't wanna go home yet."

"You sure? You look awfully…tired." He replied.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I perched myself up on the bar stool closest to me as Sandra walked over. She set another drink up there along with a glass of water. I frowned.

"I'm not making you anymore until you drink that." She said, pointing a finger at me. I didn't argue as I sipped the mixed drink. It was weak. Even in my drunk state, I could tell that. I drank it none the less, enjoying the mixture of cherry cola and spiced rum. The bar was growing less and less full, mostly just college kids and the regular bar flies hanging around now. Joey walked over to the register, emptying the till of the biller bills. He shoved them into the banking pouch, locking it as he finished. Sandra filled the remaining drink orders, last call coming around shortly. Hank walked back over to the door to stand his watch. Another normal Friday night at Glenmore's Bar and Grill. It blended in well with every other night here but in the pit of my stomach, I felt a ball of something form. I tried to push it down and ignore it, but it remained constant. I tossed back the drink, hoping that would help. It eased it some, a bit of relief to be found.

"Can I buy you a drink?" A voice said to my left. Shifting slightly, I saw the college kid from before standing next to me. This black hair was combed perfectly, and his green eyes looked darker as he stood close. He was the kind of person I would take home with me to entertain myself for the night to cast out that nagging feeling of loneliness. His was cute, rather young though. I wasn't feeling like company tonight. I knew what kind of night I had instore for me when I got home and babysitting a kid trying to get his rocks off was not on the agenda.

"Sure." I replied. He motioned over to Sandra who was talking to Joey by the ice bucket. She nodded, starting to make a drink. The kid slid into the stool next to me, trying his best to brush up against me. I moved though, ruining his attempt of being sly.

"My name is Justin." He said. "I go to the University of Orlando."

"Really? I couldn't tell." I eyed the t-shirt with the college's name written across his chest. He looked down, chuckling.

"Right. You're Kimberly, right?" I nodded.

"That would be me." Sandra set the drink in front of Justin and he slid it towards me. I picked it up, tipping it towards him in gratitude and took a sip. The water sat ignored on the bar top, the condensation running down the side of the plastic cup.

"You did a great job singing. Have you ever thought of doing it professionally?" Justin asked. Lord, this kid was terrible at this.

"And give all this up?" I replied. "No."

"Why not? You have the talent, you're beautiful. I think you would be amazing on one of those singing shows or whatever." I sighed.

"Look, kid. You're sweet. Really. But this isn't going to go anywhere. Trust me. You don't want it to." I finished my drinking, setting the cup on the bar.

"I don't know. My friend Ryan said you were a pretty good fuck. Even after you went all psycho on him." He said, his tone of voice changing. I shifted my body to face him.

"What did you just say?"

"The guy you had sex with the other night. He's my buddy, Ryan. He told us that if we got you drunk, you'd show us all a good time. C'mon. I promised my friends I would bring you back to the fraternity tonight." He leaned forward, putting his hand on my arm. "You can call any of us Tommy if it helps." His words stung like a knife in my belly. I moved to take my arm back, but he held on to it tightly.

"Joey." Sandra's voice said. Two seconds later, the sound of a shot gun being cocked vibrated through the air and Joey pointed the barrel of it directly at Justin. Justin's face paled and if one could shit bricks, I would bet my paycheck he just did.

"I suggest you get out of here." Joey said, his tone serious. The entire bar fell silent now, their eyes turned towards the commotion happening. Justin let go of my arm and quickly took a step back. Hank appeared next to him, grabbing him by the back of the neck. I heard the scuffle as he dragged him towards the door, Justin's friends following behind. My heart thundered in my chest at the words he had just said to me.

"Kim? Are you okay?" Sandra asked, running around the bar to stand in front of me. I didn't say anything, my mind not able to form words. "Kim, please say something." Joey shoved the gun back into the space between the fridge and the ice bucket, walking around to stand on my other side.

"I wanna go home." I whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Hey guys! Here's another chapter. Thank you all for being patient with me. Hope you enjoy!**_

 _ **I do not have the rights to the Power Rangers or the songs used in this story. I do love me some Patsy Cline though!**_

* * *

 _ **6.**_

That night, I laid in my bed huddled under the blankets and cried. I cried so hard that I thought I would be sick for reasons other than the alcohol. My entire body shuddered as the sobs came from me and I cradled a bottle of vodka in my arms as I did. My mind couldn't make a coherent thought stick around long enough in my mind to give me a cause for the tears, but they flowed anyway. The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon by the time by eyes closed and I drifted to sleep. I didn't sleep for long though. I was back up by eleven and proceeded to vomit all over my bed and the floor on the side of my bed. New tears formed as I stepped around the mess and headed to the bathroom where I continued to be sick. This was the worst it had been in a long time. I choked on the bile as I ran out of substance to throw up. The bathroom smelt awful and I knew that I reeked as well. It was on my clothes, in my hair and smeared all over my arms. Turning on the hot water, I shed my clothes and climbed into the shower to clean up.

While under the hot stream, I realized I was still intoxicated. I teetered back and forth as I stood in the water, enjoying the warm comfort it was giving me. The events of last night washed off my skin and a sense of calm came over my senses. I didn't want to turn the shower off. I wanted to stay right here forever, ignoring my problems and soaking up the warmth. The warm water was beginning to fade though, causing me no other choice but to turn the water off and to climb out. I wrapped myself in my bathrobe, kicking my soiled clothes into a heap in my used towel. Heading back to the bedroom, I cleaned up the floor with my top sheet and a hand towel before grabbing the rest of my bedding to wash as well. Tossing everything into a basket, I carried it slowly down to the washing machine. It would take two loads, my bedding filling the machine itself. I left the rest on top of the washer before heading back to the living room.

It was raining again, the dreary weather feeling welcomed to me. The beginning signs of early summer were here, the promises of thunderstorms and warm days approaching. There was humidity in the air, making everything feel wet at the touch. I slumped onto my couch, letting the old cushions absorb me and my misery. I felt awful and I knew it wasn't all due to my hangover. Bits and pieces of the night before still remained in my mind, mostly my conversation with that Justin kid. It made anger and sadness well in my chest at the thought of his words. He had assumed I would go home with him to be used like a toy between his friends. All because of what a jilted kid told him after I tossed him out my door. For a moment, I tried to remember if the kid had gotten my number or not. I didn't recall giving it to him and not many words were used in our exchange. Then I thought about Joey pulling the shot gun on Justin and I felt guilty. There was no reason why Joey should have to get involved like that. I could have taken the guy. My years on the Rangers taught me how to fight. I froze though. I couldn't defend myself from a guy who was lucky to even be 21. If that didn't scream pathetic, I wasn't sure what else could.

Closing my eyes, I thought back to Angel Grove and my time at the Youth Center. It was a local place where kids could go after school to workout, participate in club activities and just hang out at the juice bar. The owner, a plump guy named Ernie, was great with everyone. He made sure you felt welcomed and if you had a problem, he would be the one to have the right answer. He died a couple years ago I heard. Apparent heart attack. It was sad to think about what the place was now. I never let myself imagine it closed, no teenage kids laughing while they sipped smoothies. Ernie had bought a balance beam for the Youth Center just for me to be able to practice. That's where I nailed my routine down to try out for Schmidt's team. If Ernie saw me now, I know he would get that disappointed look on his face like a father about to lecture their daughter. It made the gnawing feeling in my stomach grow. Look at the wonders of what my life has become since leaving Angel Grove. My life resembled that of a bad tell all book and the worst part was I couldn't even go back.

I think about it sometimes though. What would happen if I walked into the Youth Center (if it's still there?) Would there even be a point? Walking through tow, trying to find a soul who remembered me or that things I did as a kid. Would they all know me as Kimberly Hart, the girl who blew her Olympic chance? Or would I be considered the out of town drunk? Probably sums my life up better than it should. But, that was my own decision and I had no one else to blame but myself. And hating myself was something I'm really good at these days. I didn't even know what I would say to Jason or Zach if I saw them. Though I didn't think they would be cold to me, but I don't think the silence I've given them over the past year would be forgivable instantly. And seeing Tommy would be a whole new can of worms. Somehow, I didn't think 'Hi. How are you? Sorry I dumped you via snail mail' would go over so well. I was better off here, a safe distance from them and any chance of my toxic personality rubbing off on them.

Standing up from the couch, I walked over to the window and peered out. No one was out, the hard rain that would come and go driving everyone inside. The rain as a good thing. We needed more of it if there was any chance we would make it without a drought this summer. Even though Florida was wetter than California, there were still a shit ton of drought warnings during the hottest months. My first summer down here, they had to drain the pool at the gym to supply water to the rest of the dorms. It was pretty crazy. Something I wrote home to Tommy about and he had confided that there had been a drought there as well and that Rita and Zedd had attacked the water supply. It made me miss home, miss being a Ranger and miss being with him. Our letters were supposed to make us feel closer together, but they always left me wanting more. More words to read. More chances for him to hold me. More of him in general. I hated the feeling. I'm no idiot. I didn't think a high school romance would last forever. For a while, my stupid little brain thought that though. I would lay in bed at night, thinking about what our wedding would be like and what our kids would look like. I even had a house with a white picket fence all picked out in my fantasies, a dog on the porch and a swing set in the yard. Hell, June Cleaver would have been jealous of my perfect little world. We'd sit on the porch, watching our kids play and talk about old times with friends. Sometimes, our friends would come over. Jason and Trini would bring their kids. It would have been a nice simple life, one we deserved after saving the world every day as a teen.

"So, fucking stupid." I whispered, heading back towards the laundry room.

* * *

A couple hours later, I found myself walking through the front door of the bar. I had thought about coming in early and doing some extra work for Joey after him coming to my rescue, but I couldn't bring myself to get ready in time. So, I strolled it at the time I was supposed to be there. Saturdays aren't typically as busy as Fridays. The thrill of the weekend has worn off and people are just here for a good time mostly. For five o'clock, it was pretty full. Sandra was waiting on tables while Joey filled drink orders. Even Hank was helping out, running food before he would be stationed at the door with his ID scanner. I quickly grabbed my apron and pulled it on over my light orange summer dress before jumping into helping Joey make drinks. He smiled over at me, letting out a puff of air as he filled a beer mug with draft beer.

"Hey. About last night." I said. He shook his head, waving his free hand at me.

"Don't worry about it. A boss has to protect his employees and a friend has to stand up for their friend." He replied, shooting me a wink. He set the full beer on a tray with a mixed drink and Sandra quickly cooped both up to head to a table. "If you need the night off, I understand."

"No. This is where I want to be." I smiled at him, filling glasses with ice to make Jack and Cokes. I lined the three cups up in front of me on the bar, pouring the Jack Daniels in first. I used the soda gun to fill the cup with cola the rest of the way before sticking stirrers in each one. I ran these and a few beers to the booths on the left side of the room, helping Sandra. The juke box was playing loudly, filling the room with music among the chatter of guests. There was a pleasant air in the room, and I found myself humming along to the music as I served people. I was making good tips and having a good time chatting with customers. They seemed to be enjoying themselves as well.

As I headed back to the bar for a refill of soda, Joey looked up from the bar with the receiver of the phone in hand. "Kim, it's for you." He said, holding it out to me. My stomach suddenly dropped as my mind flashed to the last time he had said those words to me. I stopped in my tracks, glancing back and forth from him to the receiver. He looked at me confused for a moment before registering what the issue was. "It's your neighbor, Maria. Everything is alright." He said, giving me a reassuring smile. Slowly, I walked towards him and took the phone from his hand.

"Hello?" I asked as I brought it to my ear.

"Hi, Kimberly. It's Maria. I hate to bother you at work, but I didn't want to not tell you. Marcus was walking the dogs earlier when he saw a man knocking on your door. He thought he was trying to break in, so he asked him what he wanted. I guess the guy didn't say much just that he was looking for you." I frowned, wondering who it could be.

"He was looking for me? Did he say what his name was?" I questioned. In the background, I could hear Sugar and Spice barking and Marcus talking to someone.

"No. Hold on. I'll give you Marcus." I heard some shuffling before the sound of Marcus being yelled at by his mother to speak to me.

"Hey, Miss Hart." Marcus said, sounding like a trained monkey to speak like that.

"Marcus, call me Kim. What's going on? You saw a man at my apartment?" My question caught the attention of Joey who was at the cash register. He stopped what he was doing, listening to my end of the conversation.

"Yes, ma'am. He was knocking on your door at first and then peeking through the window. I thought he was gonna rob you, so I asked what was up. He said he was looking for you."

"What did he look like?"

"Black hair. Skinny." My stomach dropped. Justin. That little punk from last night. His friend must have told him where I lived. I guess a gun to the face didn't teach him shit at all.

"Alright. Thanks, Marcus. If you see him again, give me a call. Okay?"

"Yes, Kim." He replied. "I'll watch the place until you get home tonight."

"I'd appreciate it. I'll see you guys later." I hung up the phone and turned to Joey. "That Justin kid went to my place looking for me. Marcus caught him peeking through my windows."

"Jesus Christ. Some guys just don't get the hint, do they?" Joey spat, slamming the drawer of the register shut. "Hank will make sure he's not there when he takes you home tonight. If he shows up, you call me no matter what time. I'll come knock his frat boy ass out."

"Thanks, Joey. I can handle it though." I said, biting my lip. I didn't like the fact that this guy thought he could just show up where I lived. It made my skin crawl. Had he shown up earlier as well? Would he keep showing up? Would I have to knock his lights out? Wouldn't be the first time I had to do that. I'm sure it wouldn't be the last either.

"You worry me too much sometimes." Joey breathed, shaking his head. He went back to filling drink orders, talking to the regulars to the bar. Guilt set in and all the happy feelings I had felt before were completely out the fucking window. Tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, I walked from behind the bar and towards the hall where the bathrooms were. I went to the door between the men's and women's rooms, turning the knob. Glancing over my shoulder, I made sure no one was looking as I slipped inside.

Turning on the light, I found myself in the storage closet for the bar. Different from the upstairs storage place, this is where we keep our stock pile of booze. If Joey gets good deal on something, he tends to buy a lot of it to hold on to for big nights. Dozens of bottles of the cheap stuff were kept here as well along with some bottles of champagne. Full bottles of wine were tucked on the bottom shelf of the three-tiered shelfing units he had installed in the closet on each wall. A single light lit up the room above my head, making everything glow in the pale light. My eyes landed on a bottle of cheap vanilla flavored rum. Not my favorite but it was clear, and it would work. I pulled it off the shelf, tucking it into the cradle of my arm. By my feet, there were cases of water stacked up. They were left over from Memorial Day when we had a BBQ in the parking lot. I grabbed a bottle of water before ducking out of the closet and beelining it for the bathroom.

It was empty when I entered, all three of the stall doors cracked open. I picked the first stall, jetting in and locking it behind me. Cracking open the water bottle, I poured the water out into the toilet. I stuck the cap into the pocket of my apron for safe keeping and removed the twist cap from the rum. Carefully, I pour the liquor from the bigger bottle into the water bottle. It over poured slightly, drops landing in the toilet below and dripping down my fingers. Glancing at the rum bottle, I saw it was about a third of it. Putting the caps on both bottles, I balanced the water bottle on the garbage can lid that was attached to the wall of the stall. Bracing my arms on the walls, I put my foot on the toilet seat and hoisted myself up, so I was standing on the toilet. Keeping an eye on the door which I could see above the entire stall now, I popped the drop ceiling tile out of place. Dust floated down, some of it landing in my eyes. I blinked it away, continuing to push it to the side. It was empty darkness above, wires and pipes running everywhere above my head. I shoved the bottle up there, making sure it would stay put and not break the tile. Once it was secure, I slid the tile back into place and hopped off the toilet. Sitting on the seat, I took a gulp out of the bottle. The crinkling of the bottle echoed in the small room as I gasped for air after. Wiping my mouth, I stood up and shoved the bottle into the apron pocket.

Two hours passed and the Glenmore was buzzing. People came for dinner, filled in the seat for the live entertainment that night and were looking to try Al's new wing recipe from the night before. The dinner rush slowed a bit, the diners fading over to those looking to drink. Around nine, Joey signaled me to get ready to hop on stage. Things were already a bit hazy on the edges of my vision as I headed back to the bathroom to fill up my water bottle again. The rum bottle was empty now and I left it in the rafters as I refilled the water bottle. I checked my hair in the mirror, not that I could tell if it was presentable of not. I splashed water on my face, shaking off some of the effects of the booze before heading out the door.

There was applause as I walked through the crowd up to the stage. I skipped up the steps, smiling widely out to everyone. Saturdays if when I see my regulars. They are the people that come every week to see me play. Most of them are older couples who like the way I sound and knew Joey. It was nice having a group that came to see me almost every week. I didn't let it go to my head though. I wasn't that delusional to think I had fans. More like I was a CD they could put on repeat of a nice night out. I stood in front of the microphone, glancing out over the audience. Faces looked back at me, waiting for me to begin.

"Good evening, everyone! I'm so happy to be here tonight. I'm glad you all made the trip down even with the rain coming down outside. My name is Kimberly and I'll be singing for you tonight." Turning, I grabbed my guitar and put the strap around my neck. I fiddled with the strings, trying to think of what song to start with. A simple one from Patsy Cline came to mind and I started the melody with my fingers. "I go out walkin' after midnight. Out in the moonlight. Just like we used to do."

In the audience, people stood up to start dancing in front of the stage. Older couples swung together, smiling at each other as they held their loved ones in their arms. Other people stayed in their seats, tapping their fingers or feet as I sang to keep the tempo. It made the warm feeling in my chest from the rum feel warmer as I felt the energy in the room build around me.

"I stop to see a weepin' willow. Cryin' on his pillow. Maybe he's cryin' for me. And as the skies turn gloomy. Night winds whisper to me. I'm lonesome as I can be." I sang out, strumming the chords. "I go out walkin' after midnight. Out in the moonlight. Just hopin' you may be somewhere a-walkin'. After midnight, searchin' for," I trailed off, smirking at the crowd. "Me…" I sang, adding a slightly higher note to the word. The room erupted into applause and I gave a little bow as they did. My eyes travelled over the people and from the corner, I thought I saw that flash of long black hair again. The gleam of almond shaped eyes. An uneasy felt set into the pit of my stomach and I took a long sip from the bottle next to me. Shifting, I caught Joey's eyes who nodded but I sensed a hesitation from him before he started making a drink. The tension faded away as I saw Sandra head in my direction with a drink in her hand.

"Here you go, ma'am." She said, holding it up to me. I bent over, taking it from her hand.

"Thank you very much." I replied, smiling at her. She returned it slightly before heading back towards the bar. I set the cup on the stool next to the water bottle and jumped into my next song.

* * *

"Kim, you're back up." Joey called from the end up the bar. I looked up from my glass and saw the him looking at me, his finger pointed towards the stage. I nodded, picking up the drinking and downing the last of the vodka that had collected at the bottom. There was no burn, the effects really sinking in now. As I slid off my bar stool, I steadied myself from the wobble that came from the first step. Squeezing my eyes, I let my body gather itself for a moment. Taking a deep breath, I opened them again and started towards the front of the bar room. I passed the cluster of tables and chairs as well as the small dance floor. Several people clapped as I stumbled my way up the steps of the stage. I raised my hand, smiling as I neared the microphone and my guitar that was propped up in its stand. That break wasn't nearly long enough.

"Hey, guys. Thanks for hanging out while I took my break. Nothing like a good drink to make the music touch your soul, am I right?" I said into the mic. There were a few cheers and applause as I spoke. I laughed, glancing around. There was a table of college aged looking guys on the left in the front and what seemed to be a group of women who had decided to go out after work. I surveyed the group of college kids, seeing if any of them were Justin or his friend Ryan. Neither were in this group and I noticed they were wearing shirts for a different college nearby. One of the guys in the college idiots caught my eye and I gave him a wink. He smirked, a cocky smile coming to his face. He had dark brown hair that was combed to the side and a light pink polo shirt with a popped collar. He looked like the biggest tool in the world, but he would work. "Hey, handsome. Wanna get me a drink?" I cooed into the microphone. His table nearly exploded at my comments as he jumped out of his chair and headed to the bar. "This next song is one you might know. If you do, feel free to sing along!"

Picking up my guitar, I put the strap over my shoulder and slid it until the guitar rested comfortably against my body. My fingers fumbled for a moment, trying to find their placing on the strings. The college kid appeared in front of the stage, a glass of clear liquid in hand. I pointed to the stool next to me and he hopped up on the stage. Setting it down, he awkwardly stood there. I glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow.

"If ya don't mind, I'd like to sing a song." I said. The crowd laughed, and his cheeks tinged pink as he slinked off back to his table. I smirked, picking up the glass. Joey had probably told the kid what I wanted. Bringing it to my lips, I drained the glass of vodka and set it back down. "I had a dream about a burning house…" I sang into the microphone. "You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out."

As the words slipped from my lips, I felt my mind drift off to a place that it commonly went when I sang. The sun shimmering off the surface of the pond, a light breeze bringing the smell of the distance ocean into the city. The sound of birds chirping in the trees above my head. I could feel the warms of the sun on my face and the sand between my toes. Fingers were intertwined with mine as I gazed into chocolate brown eyes, pools of warmth, kindness and love. Almost too much love to contain. The sound of his deep laughter dancing over my skin it seemed. The feeling of being carefree, young, and alive washed over me. The mixture of the memory and the alcohol swirled together in my mind and I allowed myself to pretend I was there again, breathing in the sweet smell of his essence. The very thing that used to make my heart beat and break.

"I've been sleep walking, too close to the fire. But it's the only place that I can hold you tight, in this burning house." I sang, the song coming to a close. I hadn't realized my eyes were closed as I slowly tugged them open. My eye lids feeling heavy. The crowd clapped, several of the couples now holding hands on the table tops. My eyes lingered on a younger couple closer to me, their fingers wrapped around each other and they smiled in each other's direction. I felt a dull pain in my chest as I quickly turned my eyes from their direction. "Thank you! Thank you." I said into the mic. Glancing towards the bar, I caught Joey's eye. He held up the bottle of vodka and I nodded.

The next few songs were a blur to me, a mix of some popular country songs and pop songs I had changed to make them sound better with only an acoustic guitar. The kid kept buying me drinks as I continued to finish off that bottle I had brought to the stage with me. It was safe to say I was plastered. I no longer had any feeling left to my extremities and it amazed me I was still able to play the guitar without issue. I assumed it was from the vast experience I had at playing drunk I had by now. I didn't complain though, playing my way through the next couple of songs. My thoughts swam through my head and flashes of sunny days in the park would pass through my mind. An image of the Youth Center, being perched on a stool with a smoothie in hand. I could almost taste the strawberries. The echoing of laughter rang in my brain and I felt tears prick the back of my eyes as I gripped the mic in my hand.

"For my last song, I'm going to sing a song that hits close to me. Hold your friends close, okay guys? Cause you never know when the last time you get to do it will be." I said, trying to hold the tears in. "Sunny days seem to hurt the most, I wear the pain like a heavy coat. I feel you everywhere I go. I see your smile, I see your face. I hear you laughing in the rain. I still can't believe you're gone." Tears now steadily streamed down my face as I closed my eyes. "It ain't fair you died too young, like a story that had just begun. But death tore the pages all away. God knows how I miss you. All the hell that I've been through. Just knowing no one could take your place. Sometimes I wonder who you'd be today."

I managed to sing the words, raw emotion beginning to build in my chest. The image of sweet Trini sitting across from me at the Youth Center came to mind, her sipping on a smoothie while we talked about boys and homework. How things had been so simple. How stupid I had been at the time. Now, she was gone. And the part of me that missed her felt like a voided part of my existence.

"Sunny days seem to hurt the most. I wear the pain like a heavy coat. The only thing that gives me hope is I know I'll see you again someday." My voice cracked as I opened my eyes. "Someday, someday…"

I heard more applause as my eyes clouded with tears. I blinked them away, my sniffles echoing in the microphone. As my vision cleared, I caught what I thought was a flash of silver in the audience. I glanced around to see what the source could have been. From the direction I had seen it, I saw a man sitting by himself at a table in the back. There was a beer bottle in front of him and he was peeling the label from it. I attempted to focus my eyes from the amounts of alcohol in my system. He was about my age, pushing thirty possibly. Short, dark hair was on his head styled neatly. Wire framed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose and he lifted his head to look at me.

No fucking way.

I knew I was drunk. I mean it was one of the more constant things in my life I had going for me at this point. I knew what it felt like. But I also knew it could make me see things. That was the only explanation as to why I was seeing Tommy Oliver sitting in my bar right now. There was no way on this fucking planet that he would really be here. It had to be the vodka and the rum, I told myself. It was the stupid flash backs making themselves appear in the real world around me. Maybe I was finally losing my fucking mind. Alcohol induced psychosis. It was a real thing. I looked it up on the internet one day. I blinked, setting my guitar in its stand as I stood from the stool. He didn't disappear when I did so though. He was still there, standing now. I waved at everyone else before carefully stumbling down the steps of the stage. I used the wall for support as I started towards the bar, my eyes not leaving the guy that couldn't be Tommy. He was on the move now, seemingly heading towards me. I tried wishing him away, hoping he would vanish already.

"Kim?" He said as I stopped walking. The whole bar was spinning now, the floor becoming the ceiling. That voice. I knew that voice. It made the inside of my chest hurt with familiarity. "Are you alright?"

"I'm going to throw up." I replied before feeling the contents of my stomach explode everywhere.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Hey guys! Here's another chapter. I got a couple questions about some things so I'm going to clarify them here. :)**_

 _ **1\. The Justin in this story is not Justin from Turbo.  
2\. Kim sings most nights at the var. She's covering as a bartender while Becky is out on maternity leave. You will be meeting Becky!  
3\. The Turbo movie never happened in this AU.  
4\. I know this is quite dark but that is the point. Kim is human (well...a fictional human but nonetheless, human.) Humans aren't perfect and we go through dark periods. Just because she wore pink spandex and saved the world at 15 doesn't she can't have demons.  
...she did throw up on him.**_

* * *

 _ **7.**_

Every single muscle in my body was throbbing. It was the first thing I felt as I slowly was pulled from my deep slumber. I was wincing before I even opened my eyes, trying to figure out if I had at least ridden on the bus that seemed to run me over last night. Opening my eyes, my vision was blurry and my eyes bleary. My head exploded with pain though, so I squeezed them shut again. Fuck it. For the love of all things holy, please just kill me now. I shoved my face back into the pillow under my head and decided to go back to sleep. I didn't need to vomit at the moment, and I had no plans of moving unless that needed to happen. I was warm, tucked in under the covers and it was the only place on this planet I wanted to be right now.

As I began to slip back into a slumber, I realized that my bed felt different. Where it was usually firm and dipped in places from being so old, it felt softer and seemed to hug me into it. And the blanket covering me felt softer than my comforter. I was still drunk, I told myself. That had to explain it. I had been in such a state that I didn't recall being able to feel parts of my body last night. It must still be happening. I groaned at the thought of going through that pain of a hangover once it wore off. The way I felt now was bad enough. A delayed hangover just might finish me off for good. I thanked God for allowing it to be Sunday, the one and only day that the Glenmore was closed. It meant I didn't have to crawl out of bed until tomorrow afternoon if I really wanted to.

The faint sound of running water came from somewhere behind me and a seed of confusion planted in the back of my head. What on Earth could that be? For starters, my bathroom was the other direction. The shower was also a lot louder than that. Was someone outside with a garden hose washing something? I heard the squeak of a door closing and I realized it was inside. Opening my left eye, I glanced in the direction of my bedroom door. Only, it wasn't there. Instead, there was a beige painted wall with a bright painting hung up on it. I opened my other eye, trying to figure out if I was seeing things. It took a minute to focus but it made the same observation as the other eye. I shifted my eyes to look near me and I spotted a wooden end table with a lap perched on it. There was also a bottle of water and my cell phone.

Springing up in the bed, I regretted my decision instantly. A wave of pain filled nausea washed over me, causing me to wince out loud. I found myself sitting up in a bed in a hotel room, a rather nice hotel room. It wasn't a shabby motel typical for my region of Florida. The bed was a queen sized one, a deep red comforter draped over my frame. There was a wooden headboard behind me, matching the end table next to the bed. There was also a long dresser across from the bed with a television set on top of it. It was one, the sound muted while the picture moved. On the other side of the bed, there was another end table with the same type of lamp on top of it. There was also a wallet and a set of car keys on the surface of the table.

Fuck. Who did I sleep with last night?

I moved under the covers, pushing them off of me. Whoever it was, they were in the shower now, giving me the perfect chance for escape. I was surprised to see I was still wearing clothes. They weren't mind, however. Instead of the summer dress I had been wearing last night, I was in a men's white t-shirt and a pair of black basketball shorts that were tied at my waist to keep them on. Gingerly, I put my feet on the floor and stood. The world spun slightly, and I paused to let it right itself again. It took a few moments but passed, letting me walk towards the end of the bed. My clothes were nowhere to be found, not even my sandals I had worn last night. What the hell did the guy do with them? They weren't under the bed or in the closet on the other side of the room. I even checked the dresser. Not a clue could be found either. Swearing, I sat on the edge of the bed with my back to the bathroom door. I eyed the door of the hotel room, wondering if I could just call a cab and make it barefoot. It wouldn't be the worst walk of shame I had ever made. The hot mess of my life ensured me it probably wouldn't be my last either.

The bathroom door opened, and I heard someone step out. I didn't make a move to turn around, not wanting to make much small talk. The person walked from the bathroom over to the bedside table on the other side of the bed. I could hear their bare feet pad across the carpet, the smell of men's body wash coming into the room from the steamy bathroom. Sighing, I rubbed my eyes and thought about what to say. How lame would it be to have to ask for my shoes to leave? It sounded pretty pathetic to me at least. I didn't care what a stranger thought of me though. If I did, I'd be a lot more shameful than I am now.

"Where are my shoes?" I asked finally, my voice cracking slightly as I did. I still didn't turn around as I hugged my arms around me. "I need to get home to feed my cat."

"You're allergic to cats." A voice said and I felt my heart stop beating in my chest. I whirled around, the painful decision hitting me with another wave of dizziness, but I managed to ignore it as I saw Tommy Oliver standing behind me. Shit. Shit. Shit shit shit shit. I stood up, walking backwards until I bumped into the wall behind me. Remembrance came over me and the events of last night hit me in the face. I had been on stage singing when I saw him. I didn't believe it. He was there, at the bar. I was crying. He came up to me. I vomited. Oh, dear God, he was real. He was really there. It hadn't been a dream. I wasn't going crazy. Tommy was here in Florida. I was here with him. Wherever here was. The need to throw up came over me suddenly and I dashed towards the bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet in time before I threw up.

As I vomited, I felt Tommy come up behind me and pull my hair back. I tried to bat him away but gave up when I heaved again. Sweat poured down my face and back as I emptied the pit of my stomach into the bowl. This couldn't be happening right now. There was no way I was throwing up my liquid lunch and dinner from yesterday while Tommy was holding my hair. I lied. I did have shame. This might be my most shameful moment in my entire life. I wanted to curl up and vanish somewhere. I would pay any amount of money to be anywhere else in the world right now than here. If dying from embarrassment was possible, I would be pushing up daisies right now.

When the dry heaving subsided, I managed to push Tommy away so I could collapse against the wall next to the toilet. My hair clung to the sweat on my face and the acidic burn in my mouth and back of my throat was horrible. Tommy bent down in front of me, holding out a wet wash cloth. I eyed it and him, not reaching for it.

"It's not going to kill you, I promise." He said, raising an eyebrow at me. Reluctantly, I took it and wiped my mouth. As I did, I looked up at him. The first thing I noticed was that he had cut his hair I had heard rumors of this, something Jason had mentioned a couple years ago. The brown locks were gone, and it was now neatly trimmed and combed to one side on his head with a part of the right side. Age had treated him well, the same young face starring down at me. His eyes were that warm shade of chocolate that I remembered. I could see he was still actively involved with karate. Though his body was lean, I could make out the muscles of his broad shoulders under the black t-shirt he wore. He was still Tommy, just older and more handsome looking as I had ever seen him. His glasses were gone, making me wonder if he only needed them to read or see far away. It would make me feel somewhat better, knowing something about him had aged poorly. He looked great where I looked like dog shit that had been scrapped off the bottom of a shoe.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my tone barely above a whisper. Sighing, he looked down at his hands in front of him in his crouched position.

"I came to find you." He answered. "No one's heard from you since October."

"Well, you found me." I muttered. I pushed myself off the ground and he stood as well. Brushing passed him, I tossed the wash cloth into the bathroom sink on the way to the room. I started searching for my shoes again, wanting to get the fuck out of here as soon as possible. "Where the fuck are my shoes?" I asked, glancing at him as I checked his side of the bed.

"I hid them." He replied, entering the room. He leaned against the door frame of the bathroom and crossed his arms. "I knew if I left them out, you would run as soon as you woke up."

"No." I said, shooting him a glare. "Right now, I would like to throw one at your head." I checked under the bed again, crawling on my hands and knees. "What the fuck." I muttered, not seeing them. Again.

"If you talk to me, I'll-." He started but I cut him off.

"No. There's nothing to talk about. You came here to find me, and you did. I'm alive and well." I said, standing up. "Head back home and report that to the others. I know they all must be so worried about me. Must be to send you." I knew my words were harsh, but I couldn't help it. The emotions swirling in my chest weren't mixing with my hangover very well.

"They are. Jason said he's been calling but you changed your number. Aisha said you don't return her emails. What did you expect them to do, Kim? I get it. I know things have been hard since Trini died-."

"Don't." I said in a low, warning voice. I pointed a finger at him. "Don't talk to me about Trini. You have absolutely no clue about what I am feeling and going through. I didn't ask for you to come here, Tommy. I was perfectly fine without having you here, in my space. Why don't you just hop back on a plane and head back to wherever you came from?" I pulled open the dresser drawers and still did not find my shoes. I let out a loud groan and slammed it shut. "Fuck it. I'll go barefoot." I walked towards the door and grabbed the handle.

"How long have you had a drinking problem?" He asked, stopping me in my tracks. My hand held the door knob tightly, my knuckles white. I stared at the white door, willing myself to open it and run like the wind. To get the hell out of that hotel and back into hiding. "Well?"

"I don't have a drinking problem." I lied, not even turning around to face him. He scoffed and I heard him step towards me.

"Right. Most people drink entire bottles of rum to themselves a night." I turned to face him them.

"How did you know about that?" I questioned.

"I talked to your boss and your friends at work after you passed out. They told me how you've been stealing alcohol at work and spending most of your time drunk." I shook my head. That wasn't possible. There was no way anyone knew. I was careful. I made sure to hide my stealing as best as I could. In the beginning, I wouldn't even steal from the bar. I would buy my own and bring it in my purse. It grew into stealing when I realized how much easier and cheaper it was.

"What the fuck do you want, Tommy?" I asked. "As much as I love standing here and being called an alcoholic, I would like to leave."

"Please just sit on the bed and talk to me." He said softly, taking a small step towards me. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Does this look like fucking okay to you?" I asked, waving a hand towards myself. "I'm peachy keen. Is that it?" He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. "Exactly. Go home." I opened the door and stormed out of the hotel room.

* * *

I realized two things after I had stormed out of Tommy's hotel room. The first was that I was a good ten miles from home. He had booked a room at the Ramada on the business strip. There were strip malls, fast food joints and other businesses that lined the highway, cars going in and out of the parking lots. I also realized I had left my cell phone on the bedside table. I didn't dare turn around to go back. I would rather face a firing squad. But this left me with only one other option: walking barefoot. I only made it about half a block before the hot pavement became too much. I managed to skirt inside of a Wal-Mart and find a pay phone. It was probably one of the last of its kind in the world, but I had never been more thankful to see one. I dialed the number for the cab company and soon, one pulled up in front of the store. I climbed in, trying to hide my burnt feet under the seat the best I could. I must have looked homeless. The driver was nice though and didn't mention anything as he drove towards my house.

When I got home, I had to break in since I didn't have my purse either. I was guessing that was at the bar. I had to take money from my freezer where I keep my tips to pay the cab driver. Once he was gone, I went back inside and locked the door, not wanting to face the world. If Tommy was telling the truth, Joey and everyone else I had in my life knew I was an alcoholic thief. The very thought made me feel like I was two inches tall. Joey trusted me. He thought of me as one of his kids. Why hadn't he said anything about my stealing if he knew? Or had he just found out last night? Did the bottle fall out of the ceiling? I was most certainly out of a job now. No one would want to keep someone on who was stealing from their business. I would need to face him though. My purse was there and everything I would need to survive was in it. The bar was closed today so I at least had a day of agonizing over it before I would have to deal with it. Oh joy.

There was a knock on my door a little after one. I had done a good job at hiding out, taking refuge on my couch. I ignored the knocking until the person moved to the doorknob. I groaned. It was probably Marcus or Maria. They have big dinners on Sundays, and she likes to bring me left overs or invite me over. More than likely, she had tried calling me, but I didn't have my phone to answer. Since arriving home, I had managed to change into my own clothes. I left Tommy's on my bed, not knowing what the hell I was going to do with them. I had the time to notice they smelled like him, the smooth aftershave he's worn since high school. The hoodie and sweats I had on now seemed to not be as comfortable as his clothes, but I called myself an ass and got over it. Sliding off the couch, I walked over to the door and unlocked it. Pulling it open, I found Tommy standing on the stoop.

"Are you fucking following me now?" I asked, glaring at him. "Go away, Tommy."

"Kim, wait-." I heard him say as I slammed the door shut. He knocked again and I sighed. "Kim. I have your cell phone." He called through the door. I pulled the door open and saw him holding my phone up in his hand. I reached out and took it before slamming the door shut again. "Oh, c'mon, Kimberly. I have your clothes too." Growling, I swore under my breath and pulled the door open. I saw my sun dress in his hand, hanging from a clothes hanger like it had been dry cleaned. I went to grab it, but he pulled it from my reach.

"Keep it then." I went to slam the door shut again but he slid his foot in the way, preventing it from closing. I pushed harder but the sole of his sneaker was blocking it from closing. "I swear to God you are the most annoying prick on the planet." I said through gritted teeth as I tried to push.

"Look, we can either talk like adults inside or I will talk to you like this so your entire neighborhood can hear. It's up to you." He said, his voice vibrating off the door. Closing my eyes, I pressed my forehead against my side of it. I swear he was more charming when we were younger. Or the rose-tinted glasses I wore did a great job of hiding this side of him than I thought. I let go of the door and walked towards my couch, letting it slowly swing open. He pushed it open the rest of the way, softly shutting it behind him once he was inside. He still wore the black t-shirt, but he had on dark blue jeans and boots. A silver chain hung around his neck and I noticed a slight stubble on his chin I didn't see before. Facial hair suited him, I thought. I shook it away though, realizing I was supposed to be glowering at him, not checking him out. "Nice place." He said, looking around my apartment.

"Yeah. Sure." I snapped, opening my flip phone. I had twelve missed calls and five texts from Joey and Sandra, asking if I was okay. The last one from Joey said he would be coming over to check on me around three. Fantastic.

"What's wrong?" Tommy asked.

"Nothing. My boss is coming here to fire me more than likely. We'll have to speed whatever this is up quickly then. What, Tommy? What do you want to talk about? Please inform me." I crossed my arms and gave him an angry expectant look.

"You. I want to talk about you." He replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Last night…I've never seen you like that before. It was like I was looking at a different person."

"That's what happens when you haven't seen someone since they were 17." I remarked, shrugging my shoulders. "I'm 26 years old. I'm allowed to drink. I'm allowed to have a life like any other adult."

"That wasn't just drinking. That was something else." He glanced down at his feet, kicking the grungy tile that was underfoot with his toe. "Has it been since Trini?" He asked softly. I felt my heart sink at the sound of her name. No. I couldn't talk about her. That would be breaking the rules.

"I don't have a problem." I replied, turning away from him. "It helps me sing."

"Since when? You used to sing for people when we were younger without needing a drink."

"It's different now. There's a lot more people and this is how I'm making a living for myself. It takes the edge off and lets me be more natural on stage."

"Natural? Is natural being unable to stand? If it wasn't for that stool, you would have done a face plant off that stage." I let out a huff.

"Did you come all the way here to lecture me on my life? Did you, Tommy? You can save your energy. OF anyone in the world, I think I know how shitty my life is right now. I don't need my ex-boyfriend here, rubbing it in my fucking face."

"Is that all I am to you? I thought we were over that. I thought we were friends." I laughed.

"Friends? Right. Sure. That's what we are." I ran a hand through my hair and gazed over at him. His eyes met mine and I saw a look of concern on his features. The same kind of look he gave me as I was laying in the medical bay of the Command Center, my powers draining from me. "Stop it." I demanded. "I don't need saving, Tommy. Get that thought right out of your fucking head."

"Alright." He simply said.

"How did you find my apartment?" I asked, letting my shoulders droop. "Are you really following me?"

"No. Aisha gave me your address. I came by yesterday, but your neighbor told me you were at work. That's how I found the bar." Ah. Well, that makes since. It wasn't Justin creeping by my place. It was Tommy. It made me feel better knowing the college kid wasn't stalking me, but it didn't cure the issue that was standing in my kitchen. "Aisha and Rocky are getting married next month." He stated. I nodded.

"I know. I got the invitation. It's somewhere around here." I glanced around, trying to remember where I shoved it. I had thought about tossing it since I had no plans on going to it, but I never could bring myself to go through with the act.

"They're worried about you. Jason is too. He was going to come down next if I didn't find you."

"That figures." I muttered, thinking of the knuckle head I once considered a brother. He would have come here, tossed me over his shoulder and dragged me back to California kicking and screaming. Of course, that was before everything happened. I didn't know what he was like now.

"No one's mad at you." He said, taking a small step towards me. He draped my dress over the back of my couch, letting it hang over the edge.

"Right." I replied, not believing a word he was saying. I would be livid if I was them. I would have a deep hatred kept away, just for me. Especially if I was Tommy. "I can't do this, Tommy."

"I know it's a shock that I'm here. I should have called or something first. I was afraid if you knew that you would try hiding." That is exactly what I would have done. Damn, he knew me too well and it made me more angry.

"You can't just barge into my life like this." It was like everything was suddenly spiraling out of control. Tommy was here, Joey knew I was stealing from him. Hell, the only thing missing was an eviction notice. That would be coming shortly after Joey fires me, I'm guessing. Without a job, I wouldn't be able to afford this little shack. If this wasn't rock bottom, I hated to see what was.

"Why haven't you spoken to anyone?" He asked, leaning his hip on the back of my couch.

"Because it's easier that way. I have my life here and they all have their lives wherever they are now. It wouldn't be right to dump all my baggage on them."

"They're your friends. That's what they are there for, Kim. With everything that happened, it means even more now."

"Please don't." I whispered, feeling the tears prick the back of my eyes.

"Kim, we have to talk about Trini."


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Hi everyone! Time for another chapter. Forgive me if the chapters get further apart for the next couple. My husband convinced me to get a puppy and he's been quite the handful. He's cute but he's trouble He ate my crockpot cord today -_- I was very attached to it and now, I will need to buy another one. But his name is Archer (to go with my cat Lana.) If you're an Archer fan, kudos to you!**_

 _ **I also wanted to apologize. I sometimes get the time line of things messed up which is silly since it is my fic haha. But for the record, the story takes place in 2004. Trini died in 2003. More details of that will follow in the chapter bellow. I also promise that we have yet to see Kim at her lowest. All of that and more will becoming soon.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I own nothing. At all.**_

* * *

 _ **8.**_

There are moments in everyone's lives that they will always remember every detail about. Where they were. Who they were with. What they were doing. A lot of people say that big events that happened to our country are like that. The day JFK was shot. When the Challenger blew up. September 11th. All of these things are tragedies which shows that these are things we always remember better than happy moments. It's those feelings we associate to the moment that makes us remember them so vividly. For me, the day I will never forget is October 19, 2003.

It had been a normal day. I had come in early to help Joey with inventory, joked with Al about the Miami Dolphins losing their game that week and set up the bar for the usual Saturday night rush. We were gearing up for our Halloween party that was the following weekend, Becky and Sandra talking about their planned costumes while Joe was giving my ideas for a set list. The crowd started coming in, people looking to eat before a night out on the town. I served the drinks while the other girls ran food. A completely normal, typical night at the Glenmore.

At exactly 9:07 pm, the phone rang. I had been by the stage, getting ready to go on. It was the only reason I heard the phone ring. The jukebox had been shut off for me to perform and the only other noise was bar room chatter. I had heard Joey answer the call while I set my guitar and amplifier up. I was excited about the show. I had learned a few new songs I was planning on trying out and was hopeful they would go over well with the younger people attending. I was just about to announce myself when Joey called me over to the phone. I can still hear the sound of my heels on the floor as I walked over to the phone. The sound of the beer pouring from the taps. Sandra laughing at a joke from Paul. The smell of chicken wings that someone was eating in front of Joey. The look he gave me when he handed me the receiver and suggested I head to the office to talk had seemed strange at the time but completely understood now. I did as he suggested and walked up the steps. I hadn't noticed he was behind me until he closed the door.

"Kim, it's Trini." Jason's voice had said when I brought the phone to my ear. His voice had sounded so hollow. So empty. So, unlike him. "She died."

In movies when people die, there's always sad music in the background. Sometimes, a sudden change of scene to show more emotions among those affected by the death. Often, I wonder what this part of a movie about my life would look like. Would it show Jason on the other end of the phone, looking distraught as he called my name over and over again? Or would it just stick to me, dropping to my knees in controllable sobs? Joey had tried to catch me as I fell but slid too quickly. He had wrapped his rms around me as I screamed out in pain. Disbelief was the first thing that ran across my mind. There was no way possible that my beautiful, young, vibrant best friend was dead. I had just spoken to her the day before. She was excited to tell me all the details of her new job and starting her last year of her master's degree. Even though I couldn't see her, I could tell just from the sound of her voice she was beaming. She was going to find the cure for diseases, help millions of people. How the fuck did someone meant to do some much end up dying so young?

A drunk driver. That's how. Trini was heading to class. She had to take a night class because of her new work schedule. Some asshole in a Beamer was drunk. Too drunk to keep his car in his own lane. He swerved, hitting Trini's car. She was forced off the road and over an embankment where her car rolled. She was dead before the car even came to a stop. All because a stupid jerk decided to get behind the wheel of a car after getting bombed at a bar. He lived, naturally. Walked away with just a few scratches. Because that's how the world works. Bad things happen to good people and the shitty people that cause them to get to go on with life. Meanwhile, Trini was dead, and she wasn't coming back.

Everything that happened after that was a blur. I can slightly remember Joey dragging me off the ground and over to the chair behind the desk. There was a flash of red that told me Sandra was there somewhere and then Hank drove me home. I talked to Jason on the phone for hours that night where he told me every little detail he knew. The guy had been charged with reckless manslaughter and driving under the influence. Trini's body was sent to the morgue where Jason and her parents had to identify the body. The next day, he would need to head to the funeral home to start making arrangements. It was surreal, listening to him describe everything that had happened. It made me want to scream, throw things and cry all at the same time. He told me he could pick me up from the airport whenever my plane landed.

My plane never landed though. I never boarded one. Joey had offered to buy me the ticket round trip, knowing I couldn't afford that. I couldn't bring myself to head back home. Days passed and Jason called me regularly, asking when I would be in. It finally set in the night before the funeral that I wouldn't be there. He didn't say it, but I knew he was disappointed. Angry as well. How could I not be there? I was her best friend. The one person she talked to on the phone every night before heading to bed. My sister from another Mister as we used to call ourselves. Yet, while everyone who loved her was piling into the church at the corner of State Street and Archer Way, I was sitting at the Glenmore getting drunk. It was the first time I got bombed. I just wanted to make the hurt go away for a little bit. I didn't know what hurt worse; the pain of her being gone or the pain of the guilt. If I were to guess now, I would say an even mix of the both of them.

That's when everyone else started calling. Aisha used to call once a week to chat and catch up. With her returning from Africa, she had some free time before starting her last round of classes in LA. After Trini, she was calling me on a daily basis. At first, I would answer but then I just let my machine decide. Then Rocky, Adam and Zach started in as well. I never answered these calls, not wanting to hear them offer me words of encouragement that only made me more angry. It always amazes me how people try to make things better with words that mean nothing. 'At least she's in a better place.' Really? She's dead, laying in a pine box six feet under. How is that better? 'I'm sure she's looking down at us right now.' I don't want to put religion down but it's foolish to believe that one. Heaven or Hell, I'm sure if they were true, they'd have better things to do than worry about us.

My personal favorite? 'Everything happens for a reason' or 'It's in God's plan.' That statement pushes buttons that have the firing power of a nuke inside me. It happened for a _reason_? What fucking reason could there be that Trini had to die? What insane person believes that there is a set order of events that are supposed to happen and that someone dying at the hands of a drunk jackass is one of those events we just need to accept? And this God's plan crap is for the fucking birds. If this is God's plan, he needs to get his shit straighten out more than I do. Trini didn't deserve to die. Not that young. Not when she had some much going for her. There are plenty of people out there that the world could have done without sooner than her. But to say that God's plan is the reason for all of this, it makes me wonder what the fuck he's thinking up there. What reason did he have for Trini to die, that the drunk driver got to live, and the rest of us have to suffer with the choice he made? If it was possible to get vengeance against an invisible being, I would have figured it out a long time ago. Bad things just happen, I guess. Good people die while people like me get to wake up to miserable lives every morning.

* * *

After the vow of silence, I had made, Tommy finally got the hint and left. Not before telling me he would be back sometime later to check on me. If that was how this shit was going to go down, I was going to drive him out of town by his pecker yet. I didn't need a babysitter. Especially one who didn't give a damn over the past five years. He needed to just get the fuck out of here and go back to pretending I didn't exist. It was working fine for me up until he showed up.

Okay. Maybe not.

I had bigger fish to worry about frying than Tommy though. As I watched the clock tick, the hour hand was steadily approaching 3pm. Joey had texted me again, letting me know he was going to be stopping by on his way to his mother's house around 3. The thought of looking him in the eye made me want to puke. I hoped by ignoring him he would get the idea I wasn't home, but he followed up his text with another one, saying he would be coming with or without a response. I decided to stay silent, not even sure what I could say to him. 'Sorry for stealing from you?' 'Sorry for coming to work an getting drunk every night for the past year almost?' 'Sorry for throwing up all over my ex-boyfriend in your bar?' None of them felt like they would do the trick. My stomach rolled as I paced the kitchen floor. Ignoring the door was an option. If I pretended not to be home, he wouldn't be able to fire me yet. And he couldn't do it by phone, could he? That wasn't legal I heard. He would need to do it in person. If I avoided him until I died, I would technically have a job forever.

My heart sank when I heard the sound of his truck pulling into my drive way. The engine rattled, the sound bouncing off the walls on either side of the vehicle. I froze in my spot, listening. It took a couple minutes for the engine to cut off and shortly after, I heard him shut his door. Footsteps came up the stone path and then a knocking started on my door. I didn't move to answer it, praying he would just go away. If he was going to fire me, I couldn't have it on the same day as dealing with Tommy's shit. I knew I deserved it, but can't God cut me some slack for once?

"Kim?" Joey's voice called through the door. There was another knock and I bit my lip. "I know you're in there. Open up." I opened my mouth to say something but thought against it. Hugging my arms around me, I turned my back to the door. He'd give up eventually. Tomorrow, I would track him down and resign with what little grace and dignity I had to pinch together. It wasn't much though. I stepped towards the door way that went towards the bedroom and heard the tumblers in my lock click. Turning back around, I was surprised to see the door open and Joey stepping through the opening. In his hand, I saw him struggling to get the keys out of the door, something that happens all the damn time. He managed to pull them out and shoved them back into my purse which he held in his other hand. Shifting his head, his eyes landed on me as he shut the door behind him. "You need to tell your landlord that you need a new lock. This one is shit."

"Maybe he'll change it for the next tenant." I mumbled, glancing at my feet.

"I can do it. Just send him the spare key. It's not that hard. Couple screws and you're good to go." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. He held up my purse. "Here. I figured you might want this back."

"Thanks." Reaching my hands out, I took it from him and set it on the loveseat.

"So that Tommy fellow…he's nothing like you described him. I don't recall him being a womanizer dickhead asshole like you fondly told us." He smiled at me, the corners of my mouth showing some age lines. How could he be joking right now? It was true. I have told the group about Tommy. I started here a short time after my break up and it was funny how rumors spread from one coast to the other. Rumor had it that Tommy had moved on rather quickly with my replacement, Katherine. She was beautiful, tall and blonde. Meanwhile, I was here being short, bitter and miserable. No wonder he hadn't called to try and win me back. I didn't blame him now. But then, I hated him. And told anyone who would listen just what I thought of him. Poor Sandra and Joey probably get the most of it. Especially when I'm drunk and having a bad Tommy night.

"You had one conversation with him, Joey." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I know but you were draped over his shoulder, throwing up down his back. I didn't think a guy willing to deal with that could be much of an asshole." He pointed out. I looked up at him in horror.

"I threw up on him?!" I gasped. He nodded, leaning back against the kitchen counter. Joey was different differently today. Instead of wearing clothes that we designed for a man my age, he was wearing clothes that a Dad his age would clad. His torso was covered by a grey t-shirt and he had looser fighting light jeans on, white sneakers with grass stains on them. His hair was gelled either. It just sat on the top of his head, sticking up in places like he had just rolled out of bed.

"Sure did. After you threw up all over the floor. You owe Al big for that one, by the way. We were there until about four cleaning that up." Guilt rolled over me harder than before and I suddenly wished he would just fire me and leave already.

"I can stop by in the morning and get my things." I mumbled, clasping my hands in front of me. "I've got a couple things in the office, but it will only take a second to grab."

"Why?" He asked, looking confused.

"That's usually what people who get fired do. Or I can ask Sandra to get it for me if you don't want me back in the building."

"Fired? Who said anything about you being fired?"

"But Tommy said you knew about-." I started but he cut me off.

"Right. I knew about the stealing and the drinking. I've known about it since it started. We all have. We're not as dumb as you think we are, Kim. I just told everyone to let it go because at least then, I knew where you were and that you were getting home safely." Sighing, he tucked his hands into his pockets. "My dad was an alcoholic. Was for most of his life. At least the whole time I knew him. He would go to work and come home, already drunk. Then, he would drink some more until he passed out every night. It was like his life was on repeat without much changing. I was about eight when I realized he had a problem. When I talked to my mother about it, she said that it was just something that happened to people who something bad happens to them. She had always chopped it up to the war and that he hadn't handled coming back from Korea very well. He wasn't a mean drunk. He rarely said or did anything mean. He was just a drunk. Had four DWIs under his belt before I graduated high school and I ended up having to drive him around because of it. It was embarrassing. I hated it."

"But at least he was safe." I said. He nodded. Joey never opened up about his personal life. Granted, I knew about his mother and had met her a few times even. This was the first I had heard about his father before. He was a private guy for the most part and from the way he casted his eyes to the floor, I knew this wasn't easy for him to say.

"I didn't see it that way. I saw him as the town drunk. He would rather spend time at the bar than home with our family. I grew to hate him, counting down the days until I could move out. I tried convincing my mother to leave him for someone who didn't have a drinking problem, but she didn't want to. She would tell me that I was letting his demons define him in my mind. I thought she was just protecting him. It wasn't until he died that I realized I didn't hate him. I hated his drinking, something he couldn't control because he was addicted. He drank himself to death, thinking I hated him because of the way I had acted towards his problem. I was only 19 years old. That's a kind of regret you can't get over, Kim. And it's the kind of pain you don't want to repeat again." He rose his eyes to look up at me. Sure, I may have enabled you, but I couldn't bring myself to let you die the same way my father died. You and the rest of the girls mean too much to me for that to happen. That's why we haven't been stopping you. It was selfish of me and I'm sorry."

"I don't have a problem." I whispered and I didn't even believe myself. He gave me a sad smile, nodding slightly.

"Yeah. Yeah, you do. And I am willing to help you in any way I can. I'll pay for rehab. Any program you need. Hell, even one of those nice ones like you see on Oprah or those commercials. I know I don't offer you guys health insurance, but I will foot the bill at any cost." He took a step towards me.

"I'm not going to rehab." I said, the guilt melting away into a feeling of something that didn't feel right in my stomach. "I can get over this without."

"You have an addiction, Kim. Some call it a disease. It's not something you can just get over without some help. Please. We can find a great program and get you enrolled tomorrow. I'll hold your job for as long as you need." I scoffed, shaking my head.

"Joey, I'm not letting you ship me off to some bogus treatment center so I can sit around and talking about my feelings with people who are hooked on pills. I just need to focus more on my work and less on drinking. I'm not completely addicted. I just need to slow it down. Less drinks a night." I gave him a reassuring smile that he didn't return.

"That's not how this works. It's not a cold. You don't just sleep it off." He stated. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "We can even find a program near Angel Grove. Maybe being closer to home might help."

"Oh no." I said, pacing the floor. "I'm not going back to Angel Grove."

"Fine. Reefside then. Where Tommy lives. That way, you can have someone who can keep an eye on you and be there for you while you're going through treatment." I skidded to a stop.

"Joey, you had one conversation with him and suddenly, you think it's a good idea to ship me off to California with him as what? A sponsor or something? I don't need a fucking babysitter. Tommy isn't this great guy like you think he is. He hasn't even showed any interest in me since I left California. Now that he's back, I'm just supposed to think of him as if nothing happened? Like he's going to save me?"

"I'm not looking for the guy to save you. I'm just hoping that someone will step up and help you get the help you need. The rest of us are getting worn out." He said softly. "We're scared that you'll just give up one day." I glanced at him over my shoulder, the guilt coming back full force. He wasn't firing me, and I was yelling at him for his concern that not only he felt but his employees. My friends. I was the shittiest person on the planet.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, facing him. "It's been such a long day. I didn't mean to be short with you."

"I get it. I understand if you don't want to go to rehab. You figure out how you want to handle this and let me know. Even if it's just a flight to California for a vacation or just a therapy session right here in town."

"Therapy?" I asked, smirking. "I don't think you can afford that bill." He chuckled.

"I will just sell my house then. I keep an air mattress in my office. It'll work." I laughed, the sound coming off as foreign to me after everything that happened today.

"Well, let's not see that happen then." I eyed his wardrobe. "Were you heading to Home Depot or something?" I joked.

"Not quite. I had to mow my mom's lawn. The rain made it grow faster that it has been."

"How is she?"

"Good. She sends her best."

"She's sweet. Oh! Sorry for being rude. Do you want something to drink?" I walked over to the fridge and pulled it open. There was nothing in there that was fit for human consumption. "I have tap water." I said, closing the door.

"How about I order some pizza and we talk?" He suggested. I smiled.

"That sounds good, but I think I just want to be alone right now."

"Alright. If you need anything, I'm just a text away." He moved towards the door. "And hey." He stopped, pulling the door open. "Think about the therapy, alright? And heading back west. It doesn't need to be forever. Just long enough to find yourself again."

"Sure. I'll think about it."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Happy Friday! I hope you guys are enjoying this so far. I know I am loving all of the reviews you are leaving me and it's helping me find the motivation to keep writing. This is turning into one of my favorites! Thank you so much for that. :)

So I have news! I've accepted a new job. I will be starting the first week of March. Unlike my current job where I get to work from home, I will be working in an office setting. This could mean I either get less time to write or I'll get more time. Often during down time, I like to hand write chapters so that might happen a lot lol. But in the meantime, I am still going to be updating every other day.

Also, if you guys have any questions about the fic or whatever, feel free to leave them in a review or PM me! Might take me a day to get back to you but I will. I have been re-watching MMPR from the beginning to help me add more to this and I have to say that it gets amazingly more campy each time I watch it. But I also fall more in love with the relationship between Kim and Tommy. And I get more mad each time I think about the fact he ends up with Kat -_-

Anyway, enough of my babbling. I can go on for like three pages. As usual, I own nothing but a grudge against Saban...and now Hasbro.

* * *

 _ **9.**_

Did I think about going to therapy? Sure. Did I consider going back to California? You bet. Did I do it while sober? Absolutely not. As soon as Joey left, I dug out my last bottle of vodka and cracked it open. It was half way gone before the sun even went down. Lucky for me, the liquor store up the street delivers and soon, an order of five bottles arrived at my door step. I locked everything up at the point, killing the lights and making it look like I wasn't home. I knew Tommy would be rolling back through again and I wasn't going to chance having to face him for a third time today. What I needed was drunk, hazy bliss to block out everything had happened over the last 24 hours.

So, I drank. And drank. And drank some more. I didn't even sleep, putting away the cheap vodka like a fish living off water. The sun came up and I found myself between a conscious and an unconscious state. Everything felt fuzzy, like when your foot falls asleep when you sit a certain way for too long. It was a great feeling, the thoughts of Tommy and Trini and Joey gone as I embraced what I was experiencing. This was why I drink. This was why I put myself through the suffering of hangover the next morning. No matter the amount of shame Tommy or Joey tried to make me feel, it didn't match up to what this did for me. It blocked out everything, leaving me in a place I wish I could stay.

Joey called me that afternoon, letting me know I could take the night off. They were going to be closing early anyway and told me to just stay home. He wasn't even going to be there, just Sandra and Al covering the place. At first, I was happy. I didn't have to leave, and I could stay home and drink some more. But as I finished my last bottle, I saw that I didn't have the money to order more. I fished through my wallet and saw I only had about five dollars. It would only be enough for a small bottle or two. There was no way that would last me until the end of the week when we got paid. I needed to find another way to get alcohol.

I found myself walking up the street towards the Glenmore. It was a bit of a task, trying to maneuver the sidewalks while half drunk. I had come own slightly, the air making it subdued. It was enough for me to get to the bar in one piece. Sandra looked shocked to see me as I walked into the front door. She was standing behind the bar, talking to Paul over a tray of boneless wings. She wiped her hands on her apron and waved me over. I slid into the stool next to Paul and smiled at the pair.

"Hey. I thought Joey said you had the night off." She said, eyeing me.

"He did. I'm here as a paying customer." I slapped my last bit of money on the bar and slid it towards her. "I'll take a rum and coke."

"You sure about this?" She asked, hesitating.

"It's my first drink since Saturday night." I lied. "And it's just the one."

"Alright. But that's it. We're getting ready to close up soon." She made the drink, adding more soda than alcohol I noticed. I didn't say anything though, stealing a wing from the tray. It was spicy and delicious, the mixed drink following it nicely when she set it down. I sipped it slowly, needing it to last me.

"Thank you." I replied.

"So, Joey says you're thinking of heading back to California." She said, leaning on the bar again. "You better send me a post card! I've always wanted to go there."

"I'm not." I answered, rolling my eyes. "There's nothing for me in Cali."

"I don't know. That pretty cute guy is there, isn't he? I'd fly there for him." She smirked, winking at me. She took a bite of a wing. "Honestly, I would go if I were you. Not many bosses would pay for something like that. You're young. Take the help."

"It's not that simple." I said. "My life is here."

"Life's can move." She replied. Paul shifted next to me, sliding off the stool. "You heading out, Paul?"

"Yeah. I have some errands to run in the morning. I'll see you tomorrow night, ladies." He nodded towards us before shuffling out the door. Sighing, Sandra grabbed his glass and set it in the tub at the end of the bar. It was about half full of dirty glasses and silverware. Picking it up, she headed towards the kitchen.

"You hanging out for a bit?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Nah. I think I'm going to see if Paul can give me a ride. I'll see you tomorrow." I stood from my stool, finishing my drink.

"Good night. Rethink the whole thing, okay?" She said before disappearing into the kitchen. When I couldn't see her anymore, I headed towards the storage room. I was just going to take two bottles and head home. It would be more than enough to hold me over until tomorrow night. As I neared the storage closet, I saw there was now a pad lock on the outside of the door. It was shiny and new, telling me Joey had installed it today. Swearing, I pulled at it for a moment but it was no used. I heard Sandra come back out into the bar room and I darted into the stairwell that led to the office.

Carefully, I hid here until I didn't hear any more movement below. The sound of Sandra and Al heading out the front door came about twenty minutes to eleven and silence fell over the Glenmore. I waited another ten before climbing down stairs. The only light came from the jukebox in the corner of the room. The only sound was the humming of the refrigerator system and the air conditioning. Fishing out my cell phone, I flipped it open for more light. I walked over to the bar and made my way behind it. I grabbed bottles of rum, vodka and tequila from the top shelves and carried them towards the door. I pushed on it and found it was locked. I searched for a lock, but it needed key to unlock. Swearing, I headed back towards the staircase. It took some careful coordination, but I managed to get into Joey's office.

Honestly, it was the best spot to be. Since it faced the back of the building, I was able to turn the lights on without having to worry about someone seeing and calling him. I flipped on the lights and settled in behind the desk, setting each bottle on top of it. In the right-hand corner of the room, I saw the box for the air mattress he had joked about last night at my apartment. Fuck it. This would do just fine. Twisting the cap off the vodka, I took a long pull from the bottle and shivered as it stung the back of my throat. Vodka was my favorite. Though rum and tequila made for a quick buzz, nothing compared to vodka. It went straight to my head, making sure that the feelings I was trying to shove out of my life were gone for a good six hours or so. Like pressing the delete button on the computer. It worked for me and it just needed to work for me now.

It didn't though. The more I drank, the darker my thoughts went. Memories of my time in Angel Grove were coursing through my mind like a slid show. I thought about things I hadn't in years; the stupid flower float Tommy rebuilt for me when Rita's fuckers destroyed it, when we wished me good luck right before going on stage for the school play, watching fireworks together. Each thought or memory made me more angry as I sat there. Who the fuck did he think he was? Coming back here after not showing the slightest care in the world since I left. From the way he was talking before, you would think he had it in his head he was going to swoop right in and save me. Forget about feeling sorry for throwing up on him. I suddenly wished I could do it all over again, this time hitting him in the front too. And he had some balls to tell my friends about wanting me to head back to California. Especially Joey who was set on me flying back there. If I hadn't said no, he probably would have gotten me a seat on a red eye flight last night. I guess I have made a lasting impression on my friends here like I did in Angel Grove. They were done with me. They all were. Not that I blamed them. I was a hot mess with more issues than Time magazine. It was only a matter of time until I would be casted out into the wind, a forgotten thought that no one will remember to have.

* * *

I spent my night drinking myself into an almost state of oblivion. I would bring myself to the point I was teetering on passing out and then I would stop drinking until I leveled again. I didn't sleep, kicking back on the air mattress while flipping through book, magazines and other things I found in Joey's office. He didn't have much, but it wasn't like I could see straight enough to read anyway. I talked to myself, cursing everyone from Tommy to Sandra for my problems. I had convinced myself if everyone would just leave me the fuck alone, I would be much better off. I had a solid plan in mind. I would go into hiding, slowly quit drinking and then come back sober to show them all up. I would walk in the door, flip them the bird and tell them to fuck off for not believing I could do this completely on my own. I got myself into this and I knew I could get myself out of it. I didn't' need expensive rehab or stuff therapy to deal with this. I fought much worse things as a Ranger than this would be. If they just fucking would let be, I could handle this.

As the sun came up, I was drifting off. I tried to remember what day of the week it was. Tuesday. On Tuesdays, the Glenmore opens early for lunch. I needed to get up and either sneak out of here when no one was looking or find a place to hide. I went to stand but stumbled a bit. Sneaking out would not be an option. I could barely walk a straight line. I would get spotted in a heartbeat. Putting the air mattress back, I opened up the office door and looked around. My eyes landed on the door of the storage room. Perfect. No one ever came to this room. With all the random shit inside of it, I could find a nice place to hide until closing time tonight. I shut off the lights, grabbed my bottles (now empty) and shut the door behind me.

The storage room was unlocked due to the fact the lock was broken on the door. I stepped in, closing the door behind me. Inside, there was an array of the most random assortment of things a person could find. One corner had three artificial Christmas trees, all of them missing their boxes. Large totes of decorations were shoved here or there, their holiday written either on the side or the lids. Spare tables were tossed in one corner, some of the legs bent and unsteady. Joey kept these for parts in case the others broke. There was a stack of folding chairs here as well. These were for our outdoor events when we would need the extra seating. I also found some extra amps from when the bands play as well as a heap of old table clothes and curtains that used to hang in the bar room. I settled myself in the corner by the tables, building a make shift bed with the table clothes and curtains. Below, I heard Joey's muffled voice as well as the sound of glass clinking. The lunch rush would be starting soon, I thought as my eyes drifted shut.

I woke several hours later, confused as to where I was. My back hurt, my knee was achy, and my head had a dull throb to it. My mind still swam however, telling me I was still feeling the effects of the alcohol. It was stuffy up here in the storage room, the Miami sun beating down on the roof. I laid there, looking up at the ceiling, allowing myself to wake up a bit more. Vibrating began in my back pocket and I shifted so I could pull my phone out. Joey's name appeared in the little screen on the front of the phone. I stared at it as it rang until it stopped. The screen flashed for a second before showing 11 MISSED CALLS with the icon of a cell phone over it. Sighing, I flipped the phone open and saw I also had a few text messages from not only him but also Sandra and a number I didn't recognize. It didn't take a genius to realize it was Tommy, even before I opened the message that said it was him. Rolling my eyes, I shoved it back into my pocket and grabbed the warm bottle of rum from the floor beside me. It was about six o'clock now. Below me, the dinner rush was probably in full swing. People would be filing in soon to hear me sing. Only, I wouldn't be there. I had no plans on leaving this spot before the bar closed unless someone dragged me out of it.

To pass the time, I drank and slept. The warm temperature and the alcohol helped me ease in and out of consciousness but not in a 'She's going to die!' kind of way. This was soothing, almost medicinal and I embraced it with open arms. The sun had set by the time I woke up again and when I checked my phone, it was well passed two AM. I listened for a minute, not hearing any movement downstairs. Groaning, I pulled my drunk ass off the floor and stood. I managed to not trip over anything in the dark and out the door. Everything was dark so I used my phone to make it down the stairs safely. Heading over to the door, I looked out and saw the parking lot empty. The room smelled like lemons, telling me that Al had done his cleaning for the week and left. I was alone in the bar again, sweet, sweet victory. Grabbing another bottle of vodka, I headed back up to the office.

There, I turned on the desk top computer Joey had. It wasn't the fanciest thing, the modem sounding like it was going to burst into flames when you first turned it on. It connected to the internet though and let Joey file his taxes when he needed to. He wants to start keeping his records electronically but hasn't gotten around to start it yet. It's always something he will get around to when he has the free time. The screen loaded and I clicked on the Internet Explore icon. Slowly, the page loaded and the homepage for MSN appeared. I ignored everything on there and loaded the search engine. In the search bar, I typed in TOMMY OLIVER. The page changed, showing results. There were 52 Tommy Oliver's in the world, their results also present. The third link down was for a high school in Reef Side, California. Joey had mentioned that Tommy was living there now. I clicked on the link and the website for a high school appeared. Mainly, the page for the school's science club. Scrolling down, I saw stuff the club has been working on. Half way down, there was a picture of a group of students. Tommy was on the edge of the group, four students next to him as they stood in front of the dinosaur exhibit of the museum in LA.

He was a teacher? I thought for a moment. Maybe I had known that. Something that Jason or Trini had said in passing as we spoke. I wondered what kind of teacher he was. How was his connection with his students? What had possessed him to become a teacher? Last I knew, he was racing cars or something like after graduating high school. It was quite the leap from that to grading papers. It was something I had thought of doing as well. I wasn't an idiot, thinking my singing was going to make me famous. The sound of a music teacher was nice for a while. Helping kids learn a passion for music like I had. Helping them learn to play instruments or sing. It was something I had always thought about doing before Schmidt came along and dangled gold medal dreams in front of me. Tommy had actually done it. The kids in the picture looked happy too, not forcing smiles like kids typically do when asked to pose for pictures.

Back on the main page for the search engine, I found a link to his Myspace page. I wasn't one for sites like this. I thought they were a waste of time and saw no point since I didn't have a computer. When I clicked the link, it brought me to his page, and I let out a laugh when I saw the green background. Why not just put your name as the Green Ranger, Oliver? His picture was a nice one of him, standing on the top of some mountain top. He was alone in the picture, his hair short in this one as well. He looked good, a smile on his face like he was proud of climbing whatever he was on. There was a gorgeous view behind him, other peaks off in the distance. There were more pictures like this of different peaks and things along the trails as I scrolled down. I also came to a friend's list. I scanned it quickly, seeing Jason, Rocky, Adam and Aisha on there. The very last person on the list was Katherine. I grunted, taking a gulp of my drink. There was the blonde skank. I wondered if stealing people's boyfriends was socially acceptable in Australia or if it was just a trait she had. In her picture, she was posing with another man. It didn't matter though. I could see her going behind Tommy's back while he was here. Why the fuck was he here?

An hour had passed, and I had learned a little about current day Tommy. He was living in Reef Side, had graduated from Angel Grove University with his bachelor's in science and then Mastered in Paleontology at UCLA after that. He seemed to hike most weekend until recently and all of his most recent pictures, he wore black of some sort. Either he was trying to make the goth look of the nineties come back or he was the active black ranger. In my drunk mind, I tried to tell myself it made no sense. He was a bit too old for that now. But the more I dug, the more it made sense. He was very active online up until about six months ago. The same time the Rangers appeared in Reef Side. And there just happened to be a black ranger on the team. What on earth was he thinking, being a ranger again? He wasn't old by any means, but he wasn't a kid anymore. But it explained as to why he was still in such great shape. The only issue I saw (besides him being here when I didn't need him to suddenly be) was the fact he was here when he was an active ranger. What if another monster attack or a threat happened in Angel Grove? Could he just teleport back like we used to? I doubted it still worked like that.

In the back of my mind, I wondered who the yellow ranger was. Could it be Kat? Could the two of them be fighting bad guys again, adorning cute spandex uniforms? The thought made me want to vomit. The two of them playing house while fighting evil. That had a Disney movie written all over it. What would that make me? The nasty drunk witch down South. It was honestly something that I didn't mind being called. Kat could refer to me as whatever she wanted. All I knew was that the whore stole Tommy away from me but couldn't' be smart enough to keep him on a leash. That's why he was here now, bugging the fuck out of me. She probably held his hand through Trini's funeral, offering kind words to him and Jason. She took the spot that should have been mine. The spot that I practically gifted wrapped and handed to her. The one that I saw no other option to do with. What else could I have done? Strung Tommy along, making him support me? With the shitty life I had now, that would have been a joke and a half. As for the funeral, going back was something I couldn't have done. It was something I had told myself every night since Trini died. I couldn't show up like this. As the lame gymnastic who wasn't good enough to even make the team who was now a bartender that moonlighted as a singer sometimes in the same bar. And that was even before the drinking.

Logging of the computer, I set up the air mattress again and soon, the calls began. Tommy was first. He called three times, thirty minutes apart with texts in between. Joey came next, his calls closer together. He only texted once, asking me to contact him because he was worried. Hank also called a few times and Sandra's house number popped up once. I ignored them all, drinking straight from the bottle as I watched the phone vibrate in my hand. Around 6 am, the battery died, and the calls couldn't make it through. A peace came over me and I smiled, leaning my head back against the wall behind me. This is what I wanted. Silence. To be left alone. They were probably standing vigil at my apartment, waiting for me to return for the intervention they had planned no doubt. Hoping to sit me down, give me a talk with tears and change my mind about rehab. Tommy would drag me back west, slapping me at a treatment center while he reunited with Katherine. Everyone here could have normal lives again, Tommy could stop feeling guilty and I would be out of everyone's hair.

Some time passed and I found myself out of alcohol. I didn't bother to pick up the empty bottles or the mattress as I fumbled my way down the stairs. It was a bit of a struggle, but I made it to the bar without major injury. I was numb. I could barely feel my movements as I made them, my mind running on auto pilot. I poured a tall glass of straight run, chugging half of it. As I set it down, I heard movement coming from the door. In my haze, I saw the flash of red hair and then Sandra was floating in front of me.

"Oh, thank god. Joey! Joey! She's in here!" I heard her call out as she stuck her head out the door. Slowly, she walked towards me and I noticed she was wearing a pair of flannel pajama shorts and a black hoodie. It was very unlike Sandra. She never left the house without even a light layer of makeup on. That's not how a lady is supposed to look, she would always say. I raised my glass towards her, taking a sip before setting it down. Behind Sandra, I saw Joey come in the door. He wore jeans like the ones he had on at my house and a grey sweat shirt that zipped in the front. Both looked like they hadn't slept, and I wondered who looked worse; them or me.

"Kim, we've been looking for you." Joey said, stepping towards me.

"I know. I've been hiding." I slurred, winking at him. "You're here early."

"Someone saw the office light on this morning. We hoped it was you." He replied. Nodding, I took another sip and finished the glass. Grabbing the bottle, I moved to pour more but he reached for the glass. "I think you've had enough."

"No!" I exclaimed, pulling out of his reaching range. "I will say when I think I'm done. I'm not done, okay?" I poured the drink, hiding the bottle below the bar so that he couldn't reach it. "Sandra! Want to drink with me?"

"Sure." She said, glancing towards Joey. "Who doesn't love a cocktail at 8 am?" She slid onto the stool in front of me, setting her hands on the bar.

"See! That's why I've always liked you. You're the fun one!" I said cheerfully. I grabbed a plastic cup and put a few ice cubes in it before filling it half way with rum. I squirted cola from the soda gun on top of it before sliding it towards her. "Joey? Want a drink?"

"No. I'm driving. Do you want a ride home?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No. I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving the bar and I'm not leaving the state." A flare of anger filled my chest and I grabbed three shot glasses that were under the bar top. I heaved them towards the door, and they exploded, the glass flying in different directions. Sandra jumped, the loud crashing noise echoing around the room.

"No one is making you." Sandra said, watching me.

"He is!" I exclaimed, pointing at Joey. "He's trying to send me home. He wants me to go back to California, so he doesn't have to deal with me anymore. He told me so."

"That's not what I meant." Joey said softly.

"It doesn't matter!" I yelled, more shot glasses flying. The glass fell to the floor like sharp glitter, the shards catching the morning light. "I'm not going back. I want to stay here."

"Okay. Okay. You can." Sandra said, putting her hand over mine. "I'll stay right here with you, okay?" Her voice was soothing, like a mother talking to her baby that's been screaming all night. My insides were churning with rage that was going to bubble over. I wanted to scream. I wanted to stab something. I wanted to choke the life out of a living thing.

"We just want what's best for you." Joey said, stepping closer to the bar. "Whatever you want to do, okay?" Inside, I felt the rage begin to recede. Maybe they were right. Maybe they were just looking out for what's best of me. Joey could bring me home and he could help convince Tommy that I didn't need to go anywhere. That I was meant to be here and that I could do this by myself. They were my friends. They were the only people I had on my side. I didn't have Jason or Billy or Trini any more to be there for me. These guys were the family I had now. Sandra's never betrayed me. Even in my drunk rage, I knew Joey hadn't either. He didn't fire me for stealing booze. He said he believed in me and that he was going to help me. Joey was here to help because he cared about me like I was his own kid.

I believed all of this until the door of the bar opened again and Tommy walked in the door.

"I fucking knew it!" I screamed, ripping my hand out of Sandra's. "You want me gone! You want to ship me off with HIM, so you don't have to deal with me anymore." I grabbed the remaining shot glasses I could find and flung them towards Tommy. He managed to dodge them, one clipping him in the cheek. I moved on to the bigger glasses, chucking them at the wall. They exploded like bombs, glass shards of different sizes reaching half way across the room. The three of them stood there watching me, unsure of what to do. "I don't want to go back to California. I don't want to go to rehab. I just want to be me. I'M FINE. I'M FUCKING FINE. I just want everyone to leave me alone!" I yelled.

"Kim, please-." Tommy started but I threw another glass towards him. He moved just in time, it catching the doorway. The glass shattered and the glass in the door cracked in the corner.

"NO! DON'T you DARE try to calm me down! I LEFT YOU. You never tried calling me! You just let what we had die. Why are you here now? WHY DO I FUCKING MATTER NOW?" Another glass went flying through the air. "I don't need you here! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE! How many times do I need to tell you that?" I slammed my palms down on the bar. "I fucking want you gone. Why? Why now? Where were you when…" I trailed off.

"I know." He said softly, daring to step forwards. "I wasn't here when you needed me to be and I should have been." I shook my head, tears clouding my vision.

"Stop it." I whispered. I grabbed the bottle of rum and drank a large sip from it. "You don't get to come in here and try to make me not hate you. None of you get to come in here and pretend like you care about me. You don't. None of you do. I'm just the piece of shit you take care of to make yourselves feel better. Even you told me that." I said, nodding my head towards Joey. "If I'm gone, you won't feel guilty anymore. You won't need to take care of me. I'm NOT a fucking charity case! You don't have to take care of me! I never asked any of you to do that! At all!"

"You're right." Sandra said, nodding. "You didn't. But we're your friends and that's what friends do. We will stop if you want us to. Give me the bottle and we can act like nothing happened, okay?" I laughed.

"Nice try. I'm a drunk, not dumb." I replied. "This is what makes me feel better. This makes everything feel better. It makes the bad things stop." I drank some more, the rum burning my throat slightly. "It makes Trini go away." I whispered.

"What do you mean?" Tommy asked.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter." Another sip. "You wouldn't understand."

"Trini was my friend too."

"She was my BEST friend. I've known her since I was 5 years old. You didn't know her until we were 14. That's not the same. She was like my sister. We told each other everything. She listened to me. She told me what was going on in her life. I was the one she called every day. I was the one who she told good news to first. I listened to her cry when something bad happened. I was there. I was there." Tears slid down my face as I spoke. "I was there for everything else except for what really mattered."

"Trini knew that you loved her." Tommy said. "Not going to her funeral didn't change that."

"Shut up. You don't know." I snapped. "The last thing I fucking said to her was that I didn't want to come back home for Thanksgiving. She begged me for like an hour. I told her no because I didn't fucking want to see YOU. The last thing I fucking said to my best friend was that I couldn't be bothered to spend time with her for a weekend because of my high school ex-boyfriend." A sob escaped from my lips and I felt my hands tremble. "She died thinking that she wasn't worth my time. That I didn't want to be there because of her."

"Shh. It's okay." He whispered, slowly rounding the bar.

"No. It'll never be okay." I shook my head. "I hate this. I hate me. I hate EVERYTHING." I screamed. I clutched the bottle of my chest, trying to catch my breath. "I want to die. I just want everything to stop. Make it fucking stop!" There was a quick movement and suddenly, Tommy had his arms wrapped around me. I yelled out loudly, trying to keep my hands on the bottle. We struggled for a moment. I tried to head butt him, but he kept his head low, near my shoulder. His hold around me was tight and he managed to wrap his fingers around the bottle. I did my best to pull it towards me, preventing him from removing it from my grasp. I heard the bottle slid out from my grip and shatter on the ground under us. "Let me go! I want to die! I want to fucking die!" I yelled. He pulled me in close, not letting go. Sobs racked my body as I buried my face into his shirt. "I want Trini back. It should have been me. It should have been me."


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:**_ **Heyyyy! Sorry for the gap between updates. I started reading a book and I couldn't write anything until I finished it. I'm weird like that lol. Anyway, here is the next chapter in our story.**

 **I've been throwing it back and watching a shit ton of music videos on Youtube of our favorite Power Ranger couple. I'm a dork hahaha but I love them! It lets me be a tad bit delusional that Saban left them alone and in some universe, they are together. I'm a sap.**

 **Any way, tomorrow is Valentine's Day! I hope you all have a great day whether you have someone to share it with or not. I spent a good chunk of my life reading fanfics on V-Day so I get it!**

 **By the way, it totally touched my heart that some of you cried last chapter! I didn't mean for that to happen but I'm kind of glad that I've been able to connect a character to you that causes that kind of emotion. Sorry I made you cry though lol**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing yada yada yada. -insert inappropriate comment about JDF here- ;)**

* * *

 _ **10.**_

For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like a bus had hit me as I felt myself pull from a state of unconsciousness. I felt funny. Like you do after having the flu for three days straight and you aren't sure if you should test the waters or not. There was a dull ache in the back of my head, but I noticed there was no feeling of needing to vomit. There was also a sharp pain in my left arm and when I tried to move it, I felt a pinch. Opening my eyes, everything was blurry. There was a dimmed fluorescent light somewhere in the room and I tried to clear my bleary eyes. Blinking, everything started to come in clearer and I saw I was in a hospital room. The wall was a sea foam green, white paneling on the bottom part of the walls and from what I could see in the low light, greyish tiles on the floor. Shifting, I felt the pinch again. Glancing down, my hunch I was in a hospital was confirmed when I saw I was dressed in a pale blue hospital gown and an IV was sticking out of my left for arm. A little splotch of blood was in the tubing and I followed it up to see a bag of fluid hanging from a pole by my bed.

I was in the hospital. Why was I in the hospital?

Looking around the room, I saw there wasn't much to look at. On the left side, there was a wooden door that led to a brighter lit hallway. It was closed though, a small window on the side of the door frame. Next to that, there was another door that led to a pitch-black bathroom. I only knew it was the bathroom from the sign on the door that was opened a couple of inches. On the wall across from me, I saw there was a TV mounted near the ceiling. There was also a whiteboard with some stuff I couldn't quite make out on it. Beige colored drapes hung from the ceiling here, tied together with a cord. The track ran from one side of the room to the other. As I followed the tracking with my eyes, I saw a form from the corner of my eye. Someone was laying across the heating unit under the window. A salmon colored hospital blanket was tossed over them and I wondered for a second just how they were managing to balance on the small area. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, I realized that person was Tommy. He was sound asleep, his coat tucked under his head as he slept. He was here. I was in the hospital and Tommy was here, passed out in the room with me.

"You should be sleeping." A hushed voice said as the door of my room opened. A shorter blonde woman wearing maroon colored scrubs entered, a smile on her face. She walked over to the left side of my bed, looking at the bag of solution.

"What happened?" I asked, not recalling how I managed to get here. And why the fuck was Tommy here? This was a weird dream, right?

"You were really sick when you came in. Glad to see you awake now though. Gave us quite the scare. Well, more him than anyone I think." She nodded her head towards Tommy. "I offered the guy a cot, but he said no."

"How long has he been here?"

"Since you got here. I'm sure two days sleeping on that thing can't be good for his back." She grabbed my wrist, checking my pulse. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been here for two DAYS?" I replied. She nodded.

"Yeah. You had to be sedated when you got here. Sometimes it takes a couple days for the effects of that stuff to wear off. Especially when it's mixed with alcohol." She sighed. "My name is April. Press your button if you need anything, okay? Get some sleep. It's late. Or early. Guess that depends on who you are."

"Thanks." I mumbled, glancing back over towards Tommy as April left the room. Behind him, I could faintly make out the moon behind some clouds. I didn't have the faintest idea what time it was. From my guess, it was near three. I searched for a clock in the room but didn't see one anywhere. I didn't even have my cell phone on me to tell the time with. I thought about waking Tommy but didn't have the heart to. I laid my head back, tying to remember what had happened to land me here. I could slightly recall the bar and lots of yelling. Who had been yelling? Me? I had to have been. I had been so angry when I was drinking in Joey's office. How did it go from hiding to me being here? Good lord, were they having me committed? Could someone be admitted without giving consent?

Slowly, the sun rose over the horizon in the distance and I watched as brilliant pinks and yellows filled the sky. It was fitting, seeing my color mix with Trini's across the sky. More bits and pieces of my tantrum came to mind then and I remembered yelling about her. Regret was settling deep within me now. What the hell was I thinking? I fucking ATTACKED Tommy and Joey with glassware. That was enough for an assault charge of its own. Let's not even mention the amount of damage I had caused to the bar itself. I had stolen booze again after telling Joey I wasn't going to do it again. My stupid stubborn as went on a three-day bender because I was mad that people cared about me. There was no way I was going to be able to make up for this. I don't think they make greeting cards to apologize for being an alcoholic thief. Maybe if I suggested it to Hallmark, I could afford to pay off the lawyer I was going to need now.

Tommy stirred a short time after the sun rose. He groaned before opening his eyes, stretching his arms and legs as much as he could. Rubbing his face with his hands, he squinted in my direction. He nearly fell off the unit when I realized I was awake and looking back at him. Sitting up, he tossed the blanket off of him before jumping to his feet.

"Hey. You're awake." He said, sitting on the edge of my bed. There was a smile on his face and he actually looked relieved to see me breathing.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so happy to see me conscious." I replied. "But yeah, I am."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like the biggest jackass on the planet." I sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I don't remember everything, but I can recall enough to know that I was a fucking train wreck."

"You didn't know what you were doing." He said.

"Stop it." I said, shaking my head. "Stop defending me. I knew what I was doing. Granted, the alcohol I washed down my feelings with didn't help but I knew what I was doing." I held up my arm with the IV in it. "How bad did it get?"

"You collapsed at the bar. Joey called 911. When the ambulance got there, you woke up and started fighting again. They had to give you something that knocked you out for a bit. You had so much alcohol in your system that they were afraid you were going to stop breathing. The doctor said you had alcohol poisoning."

"Sounds about right." I muttered, laying back against the pillows.

"I'm sorry, Kim. I shouldn't' have come down here. It was stupid on my part." He said, looking down at his lap. "I just got so worried when Jason said he hadn't heard from you since Trini died. I know that things between us were awkward after the break up and that you had a boyfriend here, but I didn't know what else to do."

"There was no boyfriend." I said, not raising my eyes to look at him.

"What?"

"There was no one else. I lied. Shocker. Something I tend to do a lot." A nurse came in then, casting silence over the room. She changed the IV back, checked the port and made sure that I was fine. She assured me breakfast would be coming shortly but it would be a liquid diet due to the medications they had me on. I made an awkward joke about living on a liquid diet anyway that made Tommy and the nurse share a sideways glance. When she walked out of the room, I saw her jot something down on the chart in her hand. Well, that didn't look too promising in my favor. Sighing, I rubbed my face with my hands and wondered if I smelled as bad as I looked. More than likely.

"I'm going to run to the cafeteria. You want me to get you a soda or something?" Tommy asked, standing up.

"No. I'm fine. Can we talk before you go through?" He hesitated by the door, looking uncertain as his eyes locked with mine. "It won't be a fight for once. I promise."

"Alright." He stepped towards the bed and stood at the foot of it. "What's up?"

"I don't want to be like this." I said softly. "I don't want to be someone who needs to get drunk every night just to be able to look at myself in the mirror. It's not something I planned either."

"We don't have to talk about this right now if you don't want to." He interjected, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You've been through a lot. Just focus on getting out of here first, okay?" I shook my head.

"That's all I can think about right now because I need to figure out how I can prevent this from happening again. I just need you to tell me everything that happened at the bar. I need to hear it even though I don't want to." Sighing, he clasped his hands in his lap and nodded.

It took Tommy about half an hour to tell me everything. He had come looking for me the first night I had stayed at the bar. He waited a few hours and tried again. When I wasn't home, he contacted Joey. They had exchanged numbers that night Tommy brought me to his hotel room. They weren't too worried at first because Joey told him how I sometimes will find guys to go home with. (Remind me again to punch him in the kidney for that one.) But when I still wasn't home the next morning with Joey and Tommy both came to check on me, they started to get worried. It grew worse when I didn't answer my phone or show up for my shift. When they closed up the bar, everybody from Al to Sandra went out looking for me. It was like I had disappeared without a trace. They even called the police, wanting to fill out a missing person's report. It hadn't been long enough for that though. My friends were out all night with Tommy, trying to find me to make sure I was safe. It wasn't until a patrol car drove by the bar and saw the office light on that they finally had a break. It was a friend of Joey's who worked on the police force. He had called him to see if there was a burglary in progress or if Joey had just left the light on by mistake. Joey said he did, and everybody headed there. That's when I had my drunken temper tantrum and broke every single glass behind the bar. Joey and Tommy both ended up getting cuts from my warfare and Tommy had a little knot on his head where I had clipped him with a glass. After Tommy had managed to wrangle the bottle out of my hands, I fainted. I'm pretty sure it was a mixture of the GALLONS of booze I had consumed over the three days, the lack of food and pure exhaustion. I was rushed here where I was sedated. The doctor wanted to pump my stomach because of everything that happened but it wouldn't have done much. It was already in my blood stream. I was about four sips away from being put into a medically induced coma. Lucky for me, it didn't come to that, but I was monitored to make sure I didn't die from the mixture of alcohol and the sedative.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that it how one ends up landing face first on the floor of rock bottom.

* * *

A couple hours later, I was sleeping when there was a knock on the door. Tommy was also dosing off in the chair next to my bed, but he sat up with a shot at the noise. Rubbing my eyes, I was surprised to see Joey and Al standing in the door way. Behind him, Hank was talking to someone in the hallway. I saw a bun of red hair and then more voices behind that.

"Hi. You up for some company?" Joey asked, smiling. I looked at him, amazement setting in. Why on Earth was he here? Shouldn't he be gearing up for the police to press charges against me?

"Sure." I finally managed. He stepped in, holding the door open. Al walked in, a vase of flowers in his hands. Hank allowed Sandra to enter the room first and Becky was behind her. I was a bit surprised to see her there as well. She held flowers in her hands and a balloon was floating above her head, GET WELL SOON plastered on it. They set everything on Tommy's make shift bed, setting a couple cards down next to everything. Becky smiled, walking over to me and giving me a tight huge. She was a little taller than me, ink black hair curled around her head. For recently having a baby, her slender figure didn't look it. I could just make out a little bump under her red hoodie but other than that, she could have fooled anyone who didn't know.

"See all the trouble you cause when I'm gone?" She said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Hank and Al went into the hall way and found a couple more chairs while Tommy stood to let Sandra set on my other side. She did, reaching out and taking my hand between hers.

"Why are you guys all here?" I asked.

"Are you kidding? Why wouldn't we be here?" Sandra asked, sliding the chair closer. "You always gotta stand behind your friends."

"But I trashed the bar. I literally moved into the bar for two nights and stole enough booze to end up in the hospital. I don't know who needs more help here; you guys or me. Any sane person would have me in handcuffs right now." I said, glancing over at Joey. He looked worn down, his age actively showing on his face. Shrugging, he sat in the chair Hank slid towards him and leaned back.

"Both of my ex-wives would tell you I'm everything but sane anyway."

"Stop it." I said, shaking my head. "You can't keep doing this. You're really sweet, Joey, but you can't just keep letting everything I do slide by."

"I know. And I'm not. That's why we're all here." He shifted his glance from me over to Al who shut the door. I raised an eyebrow, looking at all of them in confusion. When I looked over at Tommy, he had the guiltiest look on his face.

Fuck. This was an intervention.

"Guys, this really isn't necessary." I said, sitting up. Becky put a hand on my shoulder and not so gently pushed me back down.

"Oh, yes it is." She said, eyeing me. "This is something we should have done a long time ago. After everything that's happened, you're gonna listen. Got it?" I opened my mouth to object, but Sandra squeezed my hand tighter. I peered over at her, seeing she wore a similar expression as Becky. I was trapped. There was no way I was going to get out of this.

"Kim, we don't want you to think we're ganging up on you. We are just worried about you. When you went missing, we thought for sure the worse had happened to you. This has to be some kind of wakeup call for you. You could have died." Joey said, leaning forward.

"He's right. You can't keep doing this. You're too young to just throw your life away. I've seen people just wither away and die who had no choice. You have all the choice in the world right now to stop this." Al said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall. "Cancer patients would give anything to be able to stop what's happening to them. I don't know what you're dealing with but whatever it is, this isn't the way to do it."

"It's not that simple." I said.

"Oh yeah? Why not? You don't think we all haven't gone through something that's made us want to forget how we feel? I know better than anyone what it's like to want to give up. I've had to have this conversation with my wife so many times when she wanted to give up. You can't though. That's not a part of life. The only way to make it is to realize shit happens in life we can't control, and we can't let us define us."

"We're sorry your friend passed away, Kimberly." Sandra said softly, stroking my hand with her thumb. "It's something horrible you had to go through and it's never easy. She wouldn't want you to live your life like this though. She would rather you try to be happy with the rest of your life you have left." I felt hot tears forming in my eyes, so I turned my head away.

"You are young, beautiful and so full of talent. You can't let this take over who you are." Becky said, patting my leg.

"I agree. So would Maria and Marcus who are worried sick about you too." Hank piped in.

"You gotta make a choice here." Joey said. "You either have to accept help or we're done. We can't keep helping someone who isn't willing to help themselves. It kills me inside to have to tell you this. You know I consider you like one of my own. But I can't stand by and watch you drink yourself to death either." He let out a haggard breath and I turned back to face him. "You either agree to treatment today or else you're fired and I'm cutting all ties."

"Joey, please don't do this." I whispered, a tear slipping down my cheek.

"I'm sorry but there is no other way. Like I said before, I'll pay for whatever you need to beat this, but I can't sit back any longer while you are poisoning yourself." Fear gripped my chest as I realized how serious he was. He was going to get up, walk out that door and never look back. What the hell would I do then? I would be broke, no job and beelining it to homelessness. I felt my arms tremble as I did my best to suppress the sobs that wanted to escape.

"I'm scared." I whispered, closing my eyes. "I don't know what to do."

"Lets us help you." I heard Sandra say. "The hospital told us about some rehab programs you would be eligible for. There's even one that's outpatient. You won't need to be locked up somewhere." Opening my eyes, I glanced at her. "They have a therapist on call 24/7, treatments that will work for you and a program that you stick with even after you've been sober for a while."

"Really?" She nodded.

"Joey went and got all the information and the paperwork for it."

"And I'm coming back early from maternity leave to cover for you at the bar." Becky said. She took my other hand in hers.

"Not that you'll be tending bar anymore." Joey said. "From now on, you'll be our book keeper. You won't have to go anywhere near the alcohol."

"But what about singing?" I asked.

"It'll be there for you when you're ready." He replied, smiling at me. "You'll always have a spot on our stage."

"I'm sorry." I whispered, the walls of my composure finally cracking more than I could handle. A sob slipped out and I couldn't help it. "I'm so sorry."

"I know." He reached out and put a hand on my leg. "I know. We're gonna fix this, alright? We're going to get you help. Together. We've always been a good team and we're going to keep on being a good team. You aren't alone in this." As he spoke, I felt my eyes drift over to Tommy who was standing off on his own in the corner of the room. He seemed like he was doing his best to be as small and unnoticeable as possible. As Joey spoke, Tommy's eyes met mine and he nodded. "You'll never be alone."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for such a delay between chapters. I have a pretty good excuse though. I had quite the weekend and on Saturday, my husband and I found out that we are going to be adopting a baby! We've been trying for about six years now to have one and adoption was never ideal for us due to the money. As fate would have it, someone we know has a friend who is 16 and just discovered she is pregnant and doesn't have the means to raise them. So, they've asked us to adopt! I am SO excited. We aren't sure when she'll be due or not yet but we're going this week to find out. Needless to say, there might be some good amounts of time between chapters once the baby comes. I apologize now for this ahead of time.

Anyway, here is the next chapter. I think you will like it. I fought with what I wanted to do with it for a while now and hopefully you guys will like where I went with it. :)

* * *

 _ **11.**_

It was a very long two days in the hospital. Even though I was awake and felt sort of okay, the doctor didn't want me to rush out of there too soon. Either he thought I was going to collapse again or that I would go chug a liquor store as soon as I stepped off the property. I supposed I would believe the same thing if I were in his shoes. Especially since the thought of leaving the hospital was a bit scary for me. As much as I wanted out of here, it meant facing the biggest challenge I ever have so far and that shit scared the hell out of me. But when the doctor came in Friday morning, he told me I would be heading out the door by noon that day.

Tommy stayed with me pretty much the entire time I was in the hospital. Even after I practically begged him to leave the first night, the nurse told me he was sleeping in the waiting room right across the hall. I finally convinced him to take the cot they had offered him and he set it up in the other corner across from me. With all the time we spent together, there wasn't much talking done. Instead, we watched television or played board games that were missing pieces from them. It was easier that way. We might have said simple small talk topics like the weather or what was going on in town that day. That was it though. I liked it that way. We skirted around the topic of what was going on with me and thankfully, what was going on between us. Not that there was an us to even discuss. That was as dead as my liver was more than likely.

Tommy helped me load up all of the 'Get Well Soon' crap I had managed to collect in my four days of being in the hospital. I made him pop the balloons and I folded them up into one of the bags a teddy bear had come in from Al's wife. There was a talk stack of cards, flowers in five different vases and three stuffed animals all crammed into a giant clear garbage bag. Tommy carefully heaved it over his shoulder and carried it out to his car which was waiting in the discharge lot outside. I sat on the edge of my bed and looked around, making sure I had grabbed everything. I had changed from the hospital gown into dark grey sweats and a black tank top. It was nearing 90 degrees outside, the air conditioning of the hospital making it seem unreal that that could even be happening. I had also managed a real shower this morning, my hair pulled back into a braid over my shoulder. I thought about my baht tub at home and how I couldn't wait to soak in it later tonight.

After a long, long, LONG talk with the group, I've made the decision to go to the outpatient rehab facility here in Miami. I know I had said when talking to all of my friends that I wanted to go. At the time, I did. The intervention and my collapse fucking scared the shit out of me. I was ashamed of my actions that night in the bar. But now in the light of day, I knew deep down I didn't want to go. I didn't want to give up drinking because I like drinking. It helped me deal with everything so far. Yeah, it might not be conventional in all parts of the word but I was still managing to function. I held a job, an apartment, and made sure my bills were all paid on time. I was a functioning alcoholic. What was wrong with that? Everything apparently. And even though I didn't want to go, I had agreed to have Hank drive me there tomorrow morning. Joey wanted to take me but we had a delivery coming to the bar and he needed to be there to sign for it.

"All set?" Tommy asked, walking back into the hospital room. I nodded, giving him a small smile as I stood up.

"I think so. The nurse has to push me out though."

"Right. Let me track her down." He disappeared into the hallway, glancing around for a nurse. He eventually did find one and soon, I found myself being wheeled out of the front door of the hospital. The weather man was not lying about the temperature. It hit me like a wet hot towel in the face as soon as the doors opened. I spotted Tommy's truck running idle in front of the building and he ran over to open the passenger side door for me. The medical intern who had run me out side pushed the chair over to the door and locked it. The kid had to be about 20, his face resembling that of a seventh grader. He held out his arm and allowed me to take it as I stood from the chair. Tommy stood on my other side, holding the small of my back like I was going to break at any moment. I wished I could smack their hands away but I didn't. After hitting Tommy in the head with a bar glass, he didn't deserve that.

"Take care!" The intern called as Tommy shut the door of the truck once I was inside. The guy gave a little wave before folding up the chair and zipping into the front doors again. Tommy double checked to make sure the door on my side was shut before jogging over to his side. He climbed in, pulling his seat belt on before pulling off the curb and towards the exit of the parking lot.

"What do you suppose it's like?" I asked, gazing out my window.

"What?" He replied.

"Rehab. Do you think it's like those places on TV? Where they announce their name and they say it back. Like 'Hi, I'm Kimberly. I've been sober for thirty seconds' and they go 'Hi, Kimberly.' God, I hope not."

"I don't think it is. I think it's just mostly one on one counseling and then group sessions for the ones who are ready for it." He stated, flipping his directional signal on to show he would be turning left off the highway. "You're still going tomorrow, right?"

"I said I would go. I'm going." I shot back, trying my best not to glare at him. A dull ache was growing in the back of my skull and I was doing my best to wish it away. It wasn't working though.

"Good. I'm glad. I know it won't be easy for you but I know you can do anything you put your mind to. I've also decided to stay out here until the end of summer. With school being on break, I really don't have much to do until the beginning of September anyway." I shifted in my seat to look at him.

"Tommy, you don't need to relocate your life down here. I'll be fine. I have everyone here to help me."

"I know. I want to stay though. It's no trouble. I've always wanted to take a vacation. Here's my chance."

"Some vacation this will be." I mumbled. I could tell he didn't hear me though as he didn't respond. Crossing my arms, I sighed and leaned back into the seat of the truck. How could I tell him that he was one of the main reasons I started drinking in the first place? It wasn't like he made me do it but he was part of it. I didn't think it'd go over to well. If he stayed here, he just might realize it though. I couldn't live with that kind of guilt sober. That just didn't seem fair.

It didn't take long for Tommy to pull into my drive way. It was a hazy July afternoon, the soon approaching August blazing into the air. He hopped out of the truck to open my door but I beat him to it. I was out and standing on the pavement before he even rounded the back of the vehicle. The bummed look on his face didn't go unnoticed though I didn't say anything. I wasn't broken or ill. He didn't need to carry me to the front door for fuck's sake. He did grab the back of presents from the car and I put my bag of clothing over my shoulder before heading to the front door. To my surprise, my mailbox wasn't over flowing with mail like I had suspected. It suddenly dawned on me that Tommy or Joey could have been coming to make sure things here were fine while I was in the hospital. More than likely, it was Joey. I didn't see Tommy leave my side for more than ten minutes at a time and it was a good half an hour trip from the hospital to here. I wanted to groan at the idea of my boss taking care of yet another thing in my life. If guilt could be converted to dollars, I'd have enough money where my drinking problem wouldn't seem that bad.

"I can't promise how clean it is in here." I said, unlocking the door with my keys. It took a minute to open, the reminder that I needed to have Joey come fix my lock hitting me. The door finally swung open and I was met with my apartment. Luckily, it wasn't too much of a mess. That was considering the fact my bender started here. Sure, there were empty liquor bottles every where on the counter but it didn't look like a tornado hit the place. I stepped inside, holding the door open for Tommy as he hauled everything in. Carefully, he set the bag down and placed the flowers in the empty space on my counters. I shut the door and made quick work of turning on the dinky air conditioner in my window. It wasn't much but it did it's job for the most part to cool down my apartment. It hummed as it turned on, the glass in the window pane above it rattling. I tossed my bag of clothes up the hall towards my room and turned to face Tommy. His eyes were lingering on the empty bottles that were sitting every where. A few had a little bit of substance left in them. I'll admit that I ached inside to drink them dry. I bit my lip, trying to think of anything else but that.

"Here." Stepping forward, Tommy gathered the bottles in his arms and carried them over to my sink. They clattered as he set them down and he twisted open a whiskey bottle that still had something in it. Turning the bottle over, he dumped it's contents out. I watched with internal horror as my elixir of life for the past year almost was wasted down the drain. He moved on to the next bottle and then the next until all of them were empty. I could feel a sticky sweat coat my skin regardless of the air conditioner blowing on me. Once the bottled were cleared out, he grabbed the cardboard box he had transported the floors in and aligned the bottles neatly in it. Carrying it, he disappeared out the front door for a couple minutes before returning again. His arms were empty now. "How's that?" He asked, glancing in my direction.

"I'm not sure." I muttered. Crossing my arms, I sat on the arm of my loveseat.

"Is that all the alcohol you have in the house?" He asked, stepping towards me. I thought for a moment, my mind instantly going to the bathroom sink. Tell him, a soft voice in my mind said. Another voice cursed the first voice out, telling it to mind it's own fucking business. I didn't even know if there had been any in the bottle before I left. If I told Tommy about it, I wouldn't have access to alcohol at all. I just needed to wait for him to leave to get it. If I stayed home and drank, I could hide this shit easily.

"I think so." I lied, hoping it would mean he would be gone soon. But all hope of him making a quick exit faded as he kicked his shoes off and made work of unloading all of the other presents I had received. I hesitated but eventually helped him, setting the plants in the window so they could get sunlight and finding a place to hang the cards on my fridge. We made small talk as we worked, mostly about his job and what the school year had been like. I'll admit I wasn't listening. The only thing on my mind was him getting his feet in his shoes and his ass back in his truck. I kept my hands busy, picking up and rearranging the what little knick knacks I had in my living room. I didn't see the point of stupid little trinkets like that. The ones I did have came from Maria when she was having a garage sale a few summers ago. She thought the porcelain birds fitted me because of how graceful she thought I was. I kept them on the small end table at the end of the loveseat. I pretended to dust them while keeping an eye on Tommy as he cleaned my kitchen counters.

"Can I use your bathroom?" He asked, my anxiety suddenly jumping through the roof.

"What? Why?" I replied quickly. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Cause it might be rude to use your sink." He joked. "Is it up the hall?"

"No!" I slid so I was standing in the doorway, blocking his path. "I mean, you can't use it."

"Why not?"

"It's broken." I lied. "The landlord hasn't been by to fix it yet. It's an awful mess. There's a gas station around the corner though. Or you can just head back to your hotel."

"Well maybe I can fix it for you. I'm not much of a handy man but I think I can handle a toilet." He set his hands on his hips.

"No. It's fine. Really. I'm actually kind of tired any way so I think it might be good to call it a day." He sighed, hanging his head.

"Where in the bathroom is it?" He questioned, crossing his arm. Fuuuuuck.

"Where's what?" I asked, trying my best to sound confused. I even tipped my head to the side like a dog.

"Kim, you're just making this harder on yourself." He chided, stepping towards me. I did my best to make myself as wide and tall as possible but he surprised me by wrapping his arms around my mid drift and plucking me right off my feet. I struggled again him, trying to pull out of his grip. He shifted us so he was in the hallway now before setting me down. It only took him five long strides before he was in the bathroom. I was on his heels, trying to beat him there. I was met with the door closing in my face and I walked into it.

"Tommy, please don't." I cried, pulling on the door knob. It didn't budge, telling me he had locked the door. On the other side, I could hear him rummaging through everything in the small room. The sound of my medicine cabinet opening told me he was above the sink. I banged my hand on the door, my palm hurting. "Open the door. There's nothing in there!" I lied, hoping he would believe me. I knew he wouldn't though. All I've done is lied since he showed up here. I've been lying so long, I barely know the truth now. That thought made my stomach churn with guilt. I could hear him moving around what sounded like cleaning supplies in an unorganized fashion. Tears coated my eyes as I realized he was about to find it. He turned the water on and the door clicked open. I shoved it so I could see and watched as he drained what was almost a full bottle of vodka down the sink. He had another bottle tucked into the crook of his arm, this one only a quarter full. In my bender, I must have missed these. Otherwise, they would have been gone that first night. "You didn't have to do that!" I exclaimed.

"You're joking, right?" He asked, looking at me like I had three heads. He set the empty bottle on the sink and started pouring out the other bottle. "I see why you were trying to get me out of here so soon."

"I wouldn't have drank them." I said, knowing that we both knew that was a flat out lie. Tommy gave me a look, screwing the lids back on to the Mr. Boston bottles.

"Listen, I'm not expecting you to kick this thing overnight. That's what the rehab is for. But you can't go into it thinking you can drink at night and claim sobriety the next day." He lectured, tossing the bottles into the garbage can behind the door.

"I don't need a lesson in how this is going to work. I was there when the doctor went over it, Tommy." I snapped.

"Do you have any other alcohol in the house? Like, at all." He asked, staring at me. Yes, I thought to myself. I knew there was a little bottle of Schnapps in my bedroom. It was the gross peppermint flavored kind and had been something I won from the Christmas party last year. The only reason why I hadn't drank it yet was because of how much I hated the taste. It was about half a liter, maybe less. It was stashed in the bottom drawer of my dresser, just in case I needed it. It was for very desperate situations. Tommy must have sensed my hesitation because he sighed again, moving to walk passed me. "I'll find it."

"There is none." I said, not moving.

"Yeah. You said that one before."

"I swear, that was the last of it." My pulse was quickening and I needed to think of something. That bottle was my lifeline. Without it, I would be trapped here without any alcohol to be found. I was ashamed how fearful that made me but not too much that I was going to con Tommy to believe me.

"Kimberly, I just-."

"I'm not a child, Tommy! I don't need a goddamn babysitter. I appreciate everything you've done for me but you need to back the fuck up." I exclaimed.

"I know you're not a child but you sure fucking act like one half the time." He shot back.

"If I'm so fucking childish, why are you here then? Huh? Why are you still here trying to save me? Go home then! I don't need you here."

"You need someone. Now let me search your room." He demanded. He moved to walked past me but I shoved him away from me. His jaw clenched and I saw annoyance on his features. He tried again but I shoved him as well. I needed to stop him somehow. If he managed to get by me, he'd find the Schnapps and it would be game over. He stepped towards me and I shut the door behind me, sealing us both in the room. His annoyance took a tinge towards anger. "What do you have hiding in there?"

"Nothing. I'm not opening this door until you agree to leave."

"I swear to Christ, Kim. You are making this whole thing 10 times harder than it needs to be. Just let me past. I can find whatever you have hidden by myself." He stepped towards me, reaching for the door knob. His hand skimmed my waist and I almost could see the spark from it. My entire body shivered and my blood rose like fifteen degrees in a matter of seconds. With the spark came a brilliant idea that I knew I would regret as soon as I thought it. Reaching up, I grabbed the front of Tommy's shirt and slammed my mouth up on to his. His eyes widened in shock at my advancement and I felt him still. I kissed him again but he didn't move to kiss back. I glanced up at him with hooded eyes.

"C'mon, Tommy. Why don't you show me just how pissed I make you?" I whispered, my tongue licking my bottom lip. He gazed down at me like he was hypnotized. I was glad to see it was still working after all these years.

"Kim…I…" He whispered, his voice hoarse. "What are you doing?"

"What's the matter? How long has it been? I sure hope you can still get it up like you used to." I replied, walking forward. He stepped back until I had him almost pinned to the wall by the shower. I ran my left hand down his chest and slowly let them slid down his torso and across the zipper of his pants. I felt him harden against my fingers and a hiss came out between his teeth. "I'm sure you've had lots of practice with it since I've been gone."

"What? No!" He exclaimed. "This isn't going to work."

"No? You don't like it when I do this?" I pressed my hand more firmly against him, cupping him in the palm of my hand. He grew even harder, his jeans fighting to hold him in place. "I remember you not being able to hold yourself back whenever I touched you here."

"Stop it." He said, his hand grabbing mine. A flash of hurt flew across me and I glared up at him. He really didn't want me. How fucking foolish was I to think this was really going to work?

"Fine. Get the fuck out then, Tommy." I ripped my hand from his grip and turned towards the door. As I went to grab the handle, I heard his feet shuffling. I suddenly found myself getting whirled around and Tommy's mouth was on mine. Before I could even process, he had me against the back of the door. His tongue explored the inside of my mouth while his hands made quick work of removing the sweat pants from around my waist. As realization finally set in, I undid the button of his jeans and adjusted his boxers so that he was now exposed. His fully erect penis poked me in the stomach as he kissed me. My underwear went with my sweats and he placed his hands on either side of my ass, hoisting me off the ground.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard." He muttered into my mouth before sliding himself inside of me. I let out a loud gasp, loving the feeling of his warm cock inside of me. It filled me up to the hilt, my body adjusting to his size. I couldn't even remember the last time I had sex when I was 100% sober. Surely, it might had been with Tommy to be honest. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he braced himself with his hands against the door. With each thrust, my entire body lightly slammed into the door. It made it rattle on it's hinges. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, digging my nails into his back each time he slammed inside of me.

"Fuck." I moaned, closing my eyes. I burrowed my face into his shoulder, sinking my teeth into the skin as I felt the impending orgasm begin to grow. Sweat was beginning to form on our skin and I started to match Tommy with each thrust, not wanting to lose any momentum. His mouth found my neck and he left pleasureable bits along my jaw line and collar bone. My mind thought back to my first time with Tommy, rolling around in the sheets of Aisha's parents bed when they were out of town one weekend and Aisha was with her grandmother for lunch. We spent the whole afternoon in bed that day, just being together. That was different though. We were two kids, awkwardly going slow to figure everything out. It was vastly different to the Tommy Oliver who was fucking my brains out in my teeny tiny bathroom.

"Is this what you want?" He breathed into my ear, the hot breath making my skin burn. "Did you miss my cock?"

"Yes." I gasped. "Fuck me." He took a hand from the door and squeezed my ass with it, burying himself deeper inside of me. I arched my back, allowing him access to the depths of me. His tempo picked up and I could start to felt his muscles tense under me. The cries that were coming out me were almost inhuman and foreign to my ears. Under his breath, I heard him swear and his teeth nipped at my ear lobe.

"Tell me you like it when I fuck you." He said through gritted teeth.

"I like it when you fuck me." I breathed. "I'm going to come."

"Good. Come around my cock." He pressed his lips against mine again, his tongue tracing my lips. "I'm gonna make you come."

The orgasm that hit me was what I imagined entering the pearly gates would feel like. The amount of pleasure that washed over me like a tsunami was so strong, I can vaguely remember his name being screamed off my lips. I dug my nails and my teeth so hard into him, he winced. It was also enough for Tommy to be sent over the edge as well, his body stiffening entirely except for his cock. I could feel the warm inside of me as he ejaculated. Panting, I collapsed against him. I suddenly felt like I had run a marathon or two without any sleep. Sweat was pouring off the both of his, it soaking into the fabric of his t-shirt under my cheek as I laid on his shoulder. I could feel him soften inside of me but he didn't make a move to disengage us. Neither one of us spoke as we stood there, trying to catch our breaths.

After what felt like an hour, Tommy slipped himself out of me and gently set my wobbly feet on the floor. His eyes didn't meet mine as he turned away, zipping up his pants. I bent down and grabbed my sweat. I could feel him inside of me, the gross feeling threatening to evacuate as well. I grabbed some toilet paper and cleaned myself up before pulling my pants on. As I went to throw it away, I caught him watching me. There was a slight look of concern on his face.

"Don't worry." I said, tossing the dirty tissue into the toilet. "I'm on birth control."

"It's not that." He replied, casting his look down to his feet. "I think I should go."

"Go?" I repeated, surprised by what he had said. "You're just gonna leave after that?" I pointed at the door with my thumb.

"Yeah. That was a mistake, Kim." He said, his eyes finally raising to meet mine. "I'm sorry."

"What do you mean 'a mistake?' How is being with me a mistake?" I could feel the heat begin to rise in my cheeks. This was my worst fear come true all over again. Tommy was leaving me.

"I just gotta go." He muttered, walking out the door. I followed behind him as he bee lined it for the kitchen.

"Tommy, we need to talk about it." I said. "Everything will be fine. Ex's have sex all the time. It's not a big deal." He slid his shoes on and grabbed his keys from the table.

"I'm not that type of person. I'll see you later." He responded, not even looking at me. He opened the front door and slid out, disappearing on the porch. I ran and caught the door before it shut, his back to me as he jogged down the steps.

"Then fuck you, Tommy! And say hi to the slut Katherine for me while you're at it too!"


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Let me start off by saying how sorry I am that there was such a HUGE gap between chapters. With our baby coming and my latest class coming to a close, I've been a wee bit busy. But I wanted to post something tonight to hold you over until I can get back into the swing of things. Thank you all for being patient and I hope you enjoy.**_

 _ **Also, I reread some parts of this to reference my future chapters. Ya'll are saints for dealing with my spelling and grammar issues. I might need to invest in a beta to read through.**_

 _ **As always, I own nothing Power Rangers related. Anyone else see that JDF and AJJ were in Hawaii together for a con? Their pictures were ADORABLE! I love them both hahaha.**_

* * *

 _ **12.**_

Obviously, sleep did not come to me that night. In fact, I even tried to sleep. I laid in complete darkness and closed my eyes but nothing. Every time I closed my eyes, I pictures Tommy and I fucking in my bathroom. Then the imagine would change to him sitting in his hotel room, telling Kat he had cheated on her with me. At first, the idea made me a tad bit giddy. It would be sweet revenge to have taken Tommy from her, even if it was just for a few minutes. After a while though, that feeling faded and something I would assume was guilt tinted with jealousy settled in my chest. Tommy had left so quickly because he realized what he had done. He cheated on Kat (who could be his wife for as much as I fucking knew at this point) with me and was now regretting it. Our sex wasn't enough for him to break things off and come running back to me. Not that I thought it would be. It had only been a terrible ploy into getting him to forget about checking the house.

I didn't end up drinking the Schnapps either. I had thought about it. Even found it, safely tucked into my sock drawer. But I couldn't bring myself to drink it. I tried to rationalize it as me believing it would help me but I knew that I needed this for emergencies. If I drank it all now, I wouldn't have it for when I really needed it. Besides, it wasn't nearly enough to get me drunk enough to forget the horror show that had just occurred hours earlier. That would take half of a bar. Or at least the half I hadn't destroyed in a drunken rage. Calling me a hot mess didn't even begin to describe what was going on in my life. More like a volcanic eruption of shit, pouring down on the pour citizens of Miami.

I rolled out of bed a little before 8 the next morning and took a hot shower. It was a quick one, me not wanting to be in the room it had all happened last night. I got dressed in my room, tossing on a pair of jeans and a purple blouse. It was a bit dressier than I usually wore since I wasn't quite sure how to dress for rehab. Though I didn't think I looked like a brown sack hiding boozer, I didn't want to chance looking like a bum. My fingers trembled as I applied some make-up, making me wiping it off and start over at least twice. No matter how hard I tried to make it stop, I couldn't. I gave up once I felt I looked representable and headed to the kitchen to wait for Hank to arrive. The quiet of my house was almost deafening. I never realized how overwhelming it was and it made me feel anxious. Enough so that I grabbed my purse, shoved my feet into my sandals and elected to wait out on the porch. There was a gross drizzle in the air that was threatening to turn into a down pour by the look of the dark grey sky. The air was sticky and wetness clung to everything.

No one was outside as I stood on my porch. I could see the living room light on at Marcus and Maria's house. She was probably making breakfast and making her plan for the day. He was probably sleeping. I made a mental note to stop over and see them tonight. They were probably worried sick about me, especially Maria. My relationship with my mother wasn't the worst thing in the world I suppose but I always felt like Maria was the mother I never had. She was more caring than mine ever showed when I was a kid. And even if she did know about my problem, she hid it well enough that it didn't seem to concern her very much. Sighing, I crossed my arms and leaned against the pillar next to me that was supporting the porch roof. I felt like I was a nuclear bomb, readying to explode but my radiation was already infecting those around me. As I stated before, the guilt I felt was far worse than any hangover I've ever experienced.

The sound of an engine came up the street and Hank's van appeared. He pulled right into my driveway, his van idling as he put it in park. I jogged down the porch steps and to the passenger side door. He smiled at me as I climbed inside, enjoying the blast of chilly air that came from the air conditioner. "Morning, Hank." I said, closing the door and clicking my seat belt into place.

"Hey, Kimberly. Are you ready for this?"

"Absolutely not." I replied, smiling brightly. He let out a chuckle as he put the van in reverse. Pulling back onto the road, he headed west towards the highway.

"Oh, it can't be too bad. Day old coffee and donuts, maybe. Hell, even a coupon to one of those fancy spa places." He offered, shrugging his shoulder. "What ever the case may be, make sure you give it a fair shot. I know going to rehab isn't going to be easy but I'm really proud of you for making this big step."

"I don't think I had much choice in the matter." I sighed, leaning my head back against the seat. "But I know you guys are counting on me. I guess I'll give it my best shot."

"That's all we ask." He smiled in the corner of his mouth as he pulled off the highway and onto the main drag of southern Miami. Cars, trucks and SUVs were lined up at the car dealerships we passed along with chain eateries that were placed along the way. It wasn't far from where Tommy's hotel was, signs for it showing up near mile markers. It made my stomach turn and I tried to push him out of my thoughts. He was the last thing I needed to think of before going into rehab. If I had my way, I would push everything that had happened last night right out of my mind and pretend it never happened. Sadly, I couldn't though. I had thrown myself at Tommy to avoid him finding the alcohol in my house. Granted the plan had worked but he ran out of there so fast afterwards, I almost saw the dust cloud in his wake. If people were betting on how I would fuck up my life next, this might have been the curve ball no one saw coming.

Hank turned right into a larger parking lot. It belonged to that of a strip mall, several businesses all under one very long roof. There was a pizzeria, a liquor store (oh the irony) and a nail salon lined up, people going in and out of the nail salon. The other three business fronts were empty, for rent signs hanging up in them. He went by all of them, heading towards a building near the back of the lot. It was two stories and I could tell it used to be a church or school of some sorts. It had a tall roof that might had been pointed at one point, thick windows behind cast iron bars that were few and far between. The only modern part of the whole building was the front door that was glass with bright blue writing on it. Miami Beach Recovery was printed there, a slight cursive writing to it. The hours were posted under that as well as the head therapists name, Dr. Claire McAvoy. I groaned, rolling my eyes as Hank pulled to a stop in front of the building.

"Good luck." He said, causing me to look towards him. I smiled, nodding slightly. I undid my seat belt and popped open the door. "Just remember that Rome wasn't built in a day."

"Yeah. Yeah. You want me to call you when I'm done?" I asked, standing.

"Joey said he was going to get you after your appointment. I have to go to the bar."

"Ok. Thanks, Hank." I shut the door, giving him a wave as I stepped back from the van. I waited for him to move but he didn't. I raised an eyebrow at him. Hitting the button, he rolled down the window.

"I'm not leaving until you are inside and I see you checked in. I might have been born at night but it wasn't last night. Now go." The older man said. Damn, he was good. I'll admit I had half considered walking in and then walking out after he left. I don't think I would have really done it but now I knew for sure I couldn't. Without saying anything, I turned on my heels and headed towards the front doors.

Inside, I was met with a nice cool wave of conditioned air. The door closed behind me and I found myself in a waiting area that wasn't at all what I expected. Instead of a stuffy doctors office waiting room, I found a more brightly lit area filled with tables and chairs. The carpet under my feet was a royal blue color and the furniture was a mixtures of whites and greens that meshed well with the rug. The walls were painted a calm teal color, posters with motivational words and phrases pinned up every few inches or so. To the right of the room, there was a small reception area. A taller desk was set up, a dark skinned woman sitting behind it. I noticed she was smiling in my direction as I headed towards her.

"Hello." She said, standing up. She walked from behind the desk and held her hand out. "My name is Danielle. Do you have an appointment?" She asked. I nodded, not sure what to say. Her long black hair was straightened around her round face and she was dressed in a plum colored dress that made her curves look more natural. I could hear more voices around us and I spotted a group of three people sitting at one of the tables. They were far enough away that I wasn't able to hear what they were saying exactly but I could make out laughter.

"I'm Kimberly." I said in an almost whisper.

"It's nice to meet you. You are on the schedule to meet with Dr. McAvoy next. How about a tour?"

"Alright." I replied. She gave me a smile and turned towards the room.

"This is our center room. It's where we have our members meet and have peer counseling sessions. Once you're assigned a sponsor, this is where you'll meet if you choose to do so on our campus. That won't be for a while though more thank likely. If you follow me…" She started walking deeper into the room, veering towards the right. There were glass doors and I could see rooms set up behind them. The first one had a circle of chairs that were empty. The next was set up the same way but the seats were filled. "These are our group session rooms. These are lead by our staff members and meet once a day. Typically, they are after five but we do have one group that meets in the morning for those who have children or work nights. Each time you attend a session, you receive merit points that go towards the steps. Dr. McAvoy can explain that process to you with more depth."

"There's a point system?" I mused, raising an eyebrow at her. She nodded, not sensing my sarcasm it seemed.

"I know it might sound silly but it works wonders. Though it might not work with everyone but all our members who have graduated the program have said it helped them over come their addiction. And we're here to help guide you through it." She started walking towards the room, her heels clicking slightly on the carpet below our feet. We passed the therapy rooms and came to a solid wooden door. McAvoy was carved into the door about a foot higher than I stood along with a small flower. Reaching out, Danielle opened the door and stepped aside to allow me to enter. I did, careful to not bump into her. I found myself in a modest sized office, large enough for the grey colored couch and chair set that was positioned by the windows. There was also a desk in one corner with a computer monitor settled on the desk top. Book shelves lined the walls, not leaving space for any kind of surface to poke through. The carpet was a darker grey color, matching the hues of the couch in a pleasant tone. It wasn't what I thought a therapist's office would look like. It was more homey than stuffy.

"Dr. McAvoy will be with you shortly. Feel free to take a seat and get comfy. There are forms that you will need to fill out. They are on the clipboard on the couch. Don't worry about getting them done right now. We can worry about that later." Danielle smiled at me again, clasping her hands in front of her. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Yeah but I'm pretty sure that's why I'm here." I replied, returning the smile. She let out a soft chuckle, a honest air about her.

"I think you'll do well here, Kimberly. Good luck." She walked out, shutting the door behind her as she did. I stepped further into the room now, looking around. On the book shelves behind the desk, I saw there was a spot where there were no books. Instead, there were picture frames. The first held the degree Dr. McAvoy had earned, a doctorate in clinical psychology. There were other fancy words such as substance abuse and crisis intervention listed as well, telling me that for some strange as fuck reason, this woman wanted to work with people who were addicted to shit that could kill you. Besides the degree, there were group photos. One was of a group of four people with skis in their hands. Another was the same four sitting at a table at a hibachi restaurant. The were two girls in the pictures, a short blonde with glasses and a tall skinny red head with green eyes. I had my money on the red head, a name like Claire McAvoy fitting the type of person. She was probably married to the hunky blonde guy in the hibachi picture sitting next to her, dimples in his cheeks.

Moving from the pictures, I walked over to the couch and sat down. Like Danielle had promised, there was a hard plastic clipboard on the couch with papers clipped to it. Picking it up, I saw a pen was attached by a spiral cord. Scanning the papers, I figured it was typical medical information. To my surprise though, it wasn't. It seemed to be a questionnaire about everything but my medical history. The very first question asked what type of animal do I associate myself with. Oh, lord. What the hell was I doing here? This lady was going to come in here and ask me if I saw some kind of demon in ink blots. Therapy wasn't the answer to this. I knew that. I've tried telling everyone that. Why is it that no one ever listens to me? Well, besides the fact I lie to everyone around me.

"Ah, you must be Kimberly." A voice said, breaking me from my thoughts. I looked up and was surprised to see the shorter blonde walking into the room. She had a rounder figure than I had expected but kind hazel eyes that sparkled when she smiled at me. She had a floral print dress on that was covered in hues of yellow and orange. It was flattering on her, the material flowing to her knees. She had a white cardigan over her shoulders and her hair was cut shorter than it had been in the pictures. It went right below her ears, framing her face.

"I am. Hello." I said, standing. She shook my hand firmly, holding it with two hands.

"It's nice to meet you. Please, sit down." She gestured to the couch and I sat back in my place, putting the clipboard back in my lap. "I see you're working on our questions. I know they come off as silly but they all mean something. But first, how about we chat for a few minutes and you can work on that while we wait for your tests to come back from the lab."

"My tests?" I asked, confused. She nodded.

"Yes. We will be taking a urine collection and a hair follicle to test. It just gives us a more accurate reading to see how long you've had your addiction and how long you've been sober." She explained. A look of horror crossed my face. "Don't worry. Everyone fails the first one. Which, that's okay. We're here to work on a problem. If we looked down on our patients for having a problem, we won't have a business. We'll get to finding sobriety in a minute. First, I want to ask you some questions if that's okay."

"Alright." I said, setting the clipboard to the side.

"Great! Just to let you know, our sessions in this room are private. By law, I'm not allowed to tell anyone what we discuss unless it comes to the harm of others or yourself. If at anytime you feel that your privacy hasn't been respected, just let me know. We will stop and work to find a solution. I will be writing notes while we speak and sometimes, I'll ask to record sessions. If you aren't comfortable with that, just let me know and I will not record. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Excellent. My first question for you is; how are you feeling today?" She asked, giving me a kind smile. I was thrown off by the question. I was expecting to dive right into the cause of my drinking.

"Umm…okay. I guess." I lied, glancing at my hands.

"You sound hesitant. Is there something on your mind?"

"Just some stuff that's been going on. That's why I'm here. I want to get better so that I can be a better person for my friends." I replied. She nodded, her eyes gazing over at me.

"Alright. Give me one second." She turned to the side of her chair where a small end table was sitting. Pulling on a handle on the front, she opened a drawer and pulled out a pad of paper. Closing the drawer again, she leaned back in her chair. "I like to map out my client's support circle. It helps provide me some insight about who you have working in your corner. You mentioned your friends. Who do you want to start with first?"

"Probably Joey." I said, leaning back into the couch. I sank slightly, the pressure from inside my slowly fading. "He's my boss."

"Your boss? That's good that he supports you. Who else?"

"My co-workers. There's Al, Hank, Becky and Sandra. I work at the Glenmore over on the west side." I explained. "We're like a little family there. They're all why I'm here, really." I explained. She jotted everything I said down. I could make out Sandra's name inside of a big circle.

"Having friends at work is a wonderful thing. It makes work seem like anything but work if you ask me. What about out of work? Do you have any friends? Family? A boyfriend?"

"My neighbors, Maria and Marcus. Maria is like a mother to me and her son, Marcus, is the sweetest kid ever. They check in on me too all the time to make sure I'm okay." Again, she wrote as I spoke. This time, she wrote their names in a different circle. "My mom lives in Paris. I don't see her very much. It's been about three years now. My father is in Oregon. I don't talk to him."

"How come?" She questioned.

"He left when I was little and we've been rocky since. It's not a bad thing. He just had stuff he wanted to do that didn't involve a family. That's all."

"You don't seem very upset about it."

"Not any more. I sort of out grew it once I become a teenager. He can do whatever he wants."

"Anyone else? Old friends or anything like that? Most of us have that best friend from high school still lingering around some where." She said, smiling at me. A pang of sadness watched over me and I fiddled with my fingers in my lap. "Kimberly?" She asked, looking concerned.

"My best friend passed away last October." I whispered. Her face softened and she leaned forward a little.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What was her name?"

"Trini." I breathed, taking a deep breath. It wavered as I did, telling me tears were threatening to fall. "She was killed in a drunk driving accident."

"I get a sense that the two of you were extremely close." I nodded.

"Yes. We met in elementary school and were best friends. Even after I left home, we kept in close contact."

"Left home? Are you not from Florida?" Dr. McAvoy asked. I shook my head.

"No. I'm from California originally."

"Wow! Why did you move? Family decision?"

"No. I was asked to join the Pan Global games for gymnastics." I replied, not wanting to relive this part of my life. "It didn't work out though but I love it here so I decided to stay."

"Florida is nice. You had to have missed home though. Who did you have there before you left?" She made another circle.

"Jason, Billy, Zach, Adam, Rocky, Aisha…" I trailed off. She gazed up at me, her eyes over her glasses.

"Is there someone you've been trying to avoid speaking of since I asked you this question or am I reading this wrong?" She asked. I pulled at the hem of my shirt, not making eye contact with her. We've already touched on Trini, something I swore I wouldn't do. I didn't want to bring up Tommy if I didn't have to. Not this soon after everything that happened last night.

"His name is Tommy." I said, finally saying something.

"Tommy? Okay. Who is he to you?"

"I have no fucking clue." I muttered. I winced at my swearing. "Sorry about that." I said.

"It's alright. Happens all the time here. Why don't you know?"

"Well, we were dating back in California. But then I left and we broke up. Then he just shows up here out of the blue one day and now my entire life has been tossed in a blender with no lid." She let out a chuckle.

"A blender without a lid. I like that. So, when Tommy showed up again, things changed. Why do you think that is?"

"Because that's what happens when it comes to Tommy. I was perfectly fine until he came along. I begged him to go home but he didn't. That's why I'm here."

"So, it's Tommy's fault you came here today." She stated, leaning back again. "I read through the chart the hospital sent me. Was it Tommy's fault you almost died of alcohol poisoning as well?" Her comment shut me right up, my feeling of self righteousness evaporating in about three seconds. She looked at me, expectantly.

"N-no." I stammered.

"Was it Tommy's fault that your blood alcohol level was nearly five times the legal limit? Was it his fault that you went missing for two days and your friends couldn't find you?"

"No." I mumbled.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Kimberly. I just need you to realize that you can't blame Tommy or anyone else for your problems. It's a natural thing that we humans try to do. It's the first thing you have to over come in this program. We might not be perfect but we need to know that we're the source of our own misery and we alone are the ones that make our decisions. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you will be able to grasp this program and it's components."

I'd rather do the ink blots.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hi! I'm going to apologize now for a shorter than usual chapter. I promise they will be getting longer soon! I'm just trying to give you guys something closer together rather than weeks apart. :)

* * *

 _ **13.**_

After talking to Dr. McAvoy for a few more minutes about my parents and my childhood, she led me to a small bathroom where I provided her with an urine sample. It was nerve wracking to pee in a little cup, knowing full well I was going to fail. Danielle also came and took a hair sample from me once I emerged from the bathroom. She took both somewhere, Dr. McAvoy excusing herself. She asked me to sit in one of the chairs in the center area to work on the questions.

What kind of animal do I associate myself with? Any kind that doesn't give a fuck.

How would you describe yourself to others? A thirsty drunk who would love some vodka right about now.

What color do you think of when you think of happiness? Anything but pink and green.

Do you often use sarcasm to express yourself? Nope. Never.

The questions grew dumber than that, ending in a section where I had to draw my childhood home and what I thought others saw when they looked at me. I faked me way through half of it, giving up caring about three questions in. I didn't understand what this was supposed to prove anyway. And she has yet to explain this stupid system they had here. I was beginning to get a headache and wished I had left after Hank had. Instead, I sat there and finished filling out the stupid paper and set it aside once I was finished. Dr. McAvoy appeared a few moments after that, signaling me to follow her back towards her office. I did, tucking the clipboard in the crook of my arm. She had some papers in her hands that she set on the end table next to her once we were seated again.

"Your results came back and were pretty much what we figured. There were trace amounts in your urine which is probably due from you not consuming alcohol since your hospital visit. Your hair follicle test however was a different story. That test is able to go back up to three or four months. That test showed that you've been consuming dangerously high amounts of alcohol almost daily. This is something we knew was going to happen though. So, no surprised. Now that we know what we are going to be dealing with, we can come up with a treatment plan." She smiled, grabbing the stack of papers. "Did Danielle mention the merit system with you?"

"Sorta." I replied. Nodding, she flipped through the papers and grabbed one from the middle of the pile. Pulling it out, she held it out for me to take. I saw a table with numbers in the left side column and some paragraphs in the right.

"I'm sure you've heard of the 12 step program that most treatment centers have. Ours is similar but different. We have something called merit points. You earn these by attending group sessions, passing urine and hair tests. You have to get enough of these points to reach the next level. Each level has something that will help you reach the next stage in your sobriety. For example, you receive a sponsor at level 3. By the time a person reaches level 12, they are more involved with the community, on a path of success to rejoin society, and is able to maintain their sobriety without daily intervention. That is the goal for all of our patients. I'm not going to promise miracles but we do have an 89% success rate. This is something I've been working on since I was younger and I've seen it help people tremendously and I've also seen people laugh at it. To each their own, I suppose. Does this sound like something you would be interested in trying?"

"Yes." Absolutely not.

"Wonderful! We will need to set up your one on one therapy sessions and your tests each week. I've included the schedule of our group sessions along with the after hours number. It's a service we provide in case you feel the urge to relapse after we are closed. It's a resourceful tool that can prevent failing. There's also some information about insurance and billing stuff." She handed me the entire stack and I added it to the merit list. "Any questions?"

"Not that I can think of." I replied, the overwhelming feeling coming over me.

"I know you think this isn't going to work for you." She said, standing. "I've seen it in some of my toughest patients before. Honestly, it might not. If that is the case, we will find something that will. The most important part is that you can't give you. You have the power to get past this. You just have to dig deep enough to find it." This lady could give Zordon a run for his money. I stood as well and she handed me a business card. "If you need anything, give me a call."

"Thank you, Dr. McAvoy." I replied, sticking the card in my back pocket.

"Don't thank me yet. When you graduate from our program, you can. Come on. Let's get you set up for your next appointment." Together, we walked out into the center room again and to Danielle. I booked another therapy session for next Tuesday morning. I figured it would give me plenty of time to run for the hills. Dr. McAvoy bid me farewell before heading off towards the group sessions. There were more people in the center room now, filling in the seats. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as I thought. I could come here once a day or every other day, talk to someone about my issues, and kick this addiction. Or, I could come here, lie about things, and still get my merits like a regular person who was seeking help. That sounded like the better plan to me even if it made me sound like a shitty person.

Gathering everything they had given me, I headed out the front door of the rehab center. It was like walking into a blazing hot oven. The heat blasted me in the face and I let out a little gasp from it. Shaking my head, I scanned the parking lot for Joey's truck. He was probably parked somewhere, playing on his phone or something. I didn't see his truck however. There was a dark green station wagon parked in one spot and a red sports car, both I pinned as patrons of the nail salon. Opening my bag, I fished around for my cell phone. He was probably late but I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed him on accident.

I heard the sound of an engine approaching me as I searched. Raising my head, that's when I spotted the little black pick up pulling up to the curb. I saw Tommy before I could even recognize his truck. Narrowing my eyes, I glared at him through the wind shield. He put the truck in park in front of me, rolling the passenger side window down. "Hey." He said, not really looking at me but rather calling out towards me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Joey asked me to give you a ride. They had a late delivery at the bar." He replied. He fiddled with his keys that hung from the ignition.

"Don't worry about it. I'll catch a cab." I said, turning. I started walking up the side walk towards the strip mall. I heard him swear and his door slam shut behind me.

"Kim, just get in the truck. I'm here. Isn't that enough for you?"

"Oh, I don't know, Tommy. I wouldn't want to do something you might regret thirty seconds later." I called over my shoulder.

"It's the least you could do after using me like you did last night." He said, causing me to stop in my tracks. "We both know what that was." Fuck. Me. Why did he have a point? Why in the fucking world did I decide to go forward with that plan before trying to think of a new one? Huffing, I turned back and headed towards him and the truck. I didn't say as word as I stomped to the passenger side door and yanked it open. Hopping up, I shoved my seat belt into place and crossed my arms over my chest. There was more swearing as he climbed into his side. I kept my eyes forward, not looking at him. Pulling the truck out of park, her took a left out of the parking lot and started driving towards my house.

I welcomed the silence that was between us but I wished it wasn't so awkward. It was like the air between two people on a first date. The only difference was that it was the air after two people fucking for the entirely wrong reasons. Tommy didn't even try to look at me as he drove and the radio was off as well. I felt my ears try to find some sort of noise to hear, finding nothing but the slight rumble of the engine. Sighing, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Why?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the road.

"Why what?" He replied. We were doing about seventy down the highway now, cars and billboards zipping by. Now and then, I caught sight of lighting flashing off in the distance. The sky was growing darker, the purple shade of it telling everyone in Miami that a storm was about to break loose.

"You know the fuck what." I shot back, balling my hands into fists. "Why did you take off like a bat out of hell yesterday?"

"It's….complicated." He answered, hesitating. Rain drops began to pelt the windshield as he drove.

"Complicated? Jesus, now you want to talk in riddles. We're adults here, Tommy. If you didn't enjoy it or like it or whatever, just say so."

"What?" He asked, turning his head to look at me. The truck veered to the left, heading towards the double yellow lines.

"The road, Tommy!" I exclaimed, pointing at the wheel. He swore, straightening out the truck again. The car in the next lane honked and flashed Tommy the bird as he passed. Tommy returned the gesture, his eyes back on the highway in front of us. "Look. Just get me home in one piece and then we can go our separate ways. You can head back to California and I will keep working on myself down here."

"I'm not going back yet. Not until I know you are okay." He said for the millionth time since he showed up down here. I wasn't sure how many more times I could hear it before I choked him to death. He pulled off the high way and maneuvered the truck so he was heading towards my street.

"You're insane." I muttered, sitting back in my seat. "If you stay here, I'm not going to talk to you. How many times do I have to tell you this? Are you just going to follow me around until I give in or something? Cause that isn't going to happen."

"I take it therapy went well today, huh?" He asked, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth closest to me. Anger exploded in my chest in an almost blinding rage.

"You can go to fucking hell, Tommy. The only fucking reason you are down here is because you are trying to make yourself look good or feel better about not coming to find me after we broke up. God forbid anyone thinks that Tommy Oliver, the greatest Power Ranger in the world, isn't a stand up guy in every sense of the word. It would be a pity if anyone else knew how shitty of a person you were towards me and how you just stopped caring. It might mean that you aren't perfect and we can't have the happening, now can we? You are the same jerk I left behind in Angel Grove. You always put everyone and everything else before me, no matter the cost to our relationship. You'll always be that asshole who gave up on us." I exclaimed, my hands trembling.

"Wait—I'm the one who gave up? Who is the fucking one who wrote me a _**letter**_ to break up with me? Who was the one who lied and said they found some other guy down here just because they were feeling insecure about our relationship? Who is the one who ran and hid all this time because they were afraid of their fucking feelings? It sure the hell wasn't me." He spat back, pulling into my driveway. The rain was pouring down now, sounding like a faucet straight from the sky.

"Our feelings might not have been dead but you sure had fun celebrating the break up. You were off fucking Katherine at some ski resort the weekend you got the letter. Please tell me again just how heart broken you were. It sure fucking sounded like it."

"What are you even talking about?" He slammed the truck into park.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you aren't playing dumb." I shot him a glare. "Just go home to Kat, Tommy. I won't tell anyone what happened between us. I wouldn't want to ruin your life anymore." I popped open the truck door and hopped out. The ran soaked me in the just three steps I took before I heard him open his truck door.

"I'm not with Kat." He called out, causing me to stop. Slowly, I turned to look over my shoulder at him. He walked around the front of his truck, his grey t-shirt soaked and rain drops falling from his hair. "We went on two dates but nothing ever came of it. I don't know who told you we were together but it's not true."

"Then what about last night?" I asked, eyeing him carefully. If he wasn't with Kat, why the hell did he run last night? I understood it if he was ashamed for cheating on someone. But if that wasn't the case, it meant that he was running away from me. If that wasn't a nut shot to my self esteem, I wasn't sure what was.

"That wasn't how I wanted things to go between us." He replied, stepping closer to me. "I knew why it was happening and I let it get too out of hand. The last thing you need right now is me making things worse for you. I shouldn't have let my guard down like that. I shouldn't have let my feelings come through so much." He glanced down at his hands, his keys between his fingers. "I still have feelings for you, Kim." What? I couldn't believe my ears. He still had feelings for me. After all these years and after that letter I sent him, here he was. Here he was, telling me that he still cared about me like he did back then.

"I'm not that person anymore, Tommy." I whispered. "I'm not the Kimberly you remember."

"I know. I understand that now. But I want to get to know the Kimberly you are now. I'm not the same guy either." I laughed, shaking my head.

"Yes, you are. Hell, you're even still a ranger. How can a girl compete with that?" He looked at me surprised. "Oh c'mon. I hid the secret for so long I could probably spot any Ranger now. You are the same caring, kind and compassionate guy you were when I left. I'm toxic to that type of person. That's what I've been trying to tell you. The further away from me you are, the better. I can't be responsible for ruining someone else's life like I've already managed to do to mine."

"What if I promise to keep things simple between us?" He asked, taking another step forward. "I've always been your friend, even when you didn't want me to be. What if we keep it that way? We can forget what happened last night and focus on working towards you getting better. If I promise that, can I stay?" He gazed down at me and I held his eyes with mine.

I willed myself to open my mouth and tell him the truth. To tell him how much I loved him and how much I wanted to be with him. That it didn't matter what was going on in my life, he would always be the things I needed most in my life. My mind was screaming to tell him what I'd been hiding since I left but my mouth couldn't form the words. All I've wanted since the moment I sent that stupid fucking letter was for him to show up here and tell me he still loved me. Now, here he was and I was suddenly unable to speak. A million responses came to mind that I wanted to say but the words never came out. I simply nodded, a small smile coming over my lips. A wide one crossed his and he pulled me into a tight hug, our wet clothes and skin sticking together as he did.

"Come on." He said, pulling away slightly to look down at me. "Let's get inside before we add pneumonia to the list of your problems."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hi everyone. Here is another chapter. I promise things will start picking up again soon and the chapters will be longer. I'm trying to squeeze everything I can for this fic in before the baby comes. But for now, I hope you enjoy!

Also, I re-read this fic over the last couple of days and noticed a couple things. It was a mistake that I stated Joey's mother died before the fic takes place. She is very much alive for the remaining parts of the story. I also wanted to point out that the story takes place in or around 2004. Kim snag a couple songs that were written after that. I apologize. I write so many of these things that I sometimes get them confused and tangled together. If you see anything like that, feel free to message me!

* * *

 _ **14.**_

Tommy came in after our discussion in the rain and I gave him the clothes he had let me borrow from his first night in town. He changed into them and we spent the rest of the afternoon figuring out my treatment schedule. I explained to him the point system and how it was supposed to work in regard to meetings and group therapy. The way we figured it out, I would be attending meetings every other day and therapy sessions every Monday and Thursday. I wasn't thrilled about the idea but I knew I wasn't going to be able to talk my way (or fuck my way) out of this one. I needed to go to treatment and he agreed to give me rides to and from each day, letting everyone else get a break for a while. It was the least I could agree to after giving everyone such a hard time. At least this way, I would be able to distance myself while trying to make myself better.

Tommy ordered a pizza for dinner and we sat on my love seat like friends. It was foreign but nice in the same way. Never did I imagine this happening and it was nice to have it happen. We talked about old times; high school, the rangers. We avoided the topic of us as well as Trini, something I knew he was doing on purpose. He even caught me up on everyone else and what they were doing with their lives. I still couldn't believe that Rocky and Aisha were getting married next month. Guilt was beginning to set in for my absence in all their lives. None of them had done anything to me to warrant that. I was just trying to hide from Tommy and Trini and sadly, they all got stuck in the cross hairs of that plan. Maybe I could call them, tell them it was nothing they had done. It was everything I had done.

Tommy left about nine, saying he had to run some errands before heading back to his hotel. He said he would be over tomorrow to take me to my first group session meeting in the afternoon. Shortly after he left, I noticed I was starting to shake a lot. I didn't think much of it but it got worse as time went on. Then I started to sweat and feel light headed. I tried taking a cool shower to feel better but it didn't help. I was growing increasingly more ill with each passing hour. Fear was setting in as I realized what was happening to me. It had been a full 24 hours now without any type of alcohol or drug from the hospital. Withdrawal was setting in, my body demanding alcohol. Vomiting came a little after midnight and it was become more obvious that I was going to have to call someone. I felt ashamed, thinking I could just weather through it without alerting someone of my pathetic condition. But as I laid on my bathroom floor, shivering and trying to not dry heave, all I could think about was that bottle of schnapps in my dresser. I tried to push it out of my mind but I kept thinking about how it would make this feeling go away if I drank it. No one would even know anything about it either. It could be my little secret.

Instead of crawling to my room for the booze, I managed my way back to my living room where my cell was. Dialing Tommy's number, I curled up in a defeated ball on the couch. It rang twice before a groggy sounding Tommy answered the phone. "Kim? You okay?"

"I need you." I whispered, never sounding more pathetic in my life. "I'm sick. I can't stop throwing up. I didn't want to bother you but…" I trailed off, unsure of what I was going to say.

"I'll be right there. Hang tight." He said. I murmured good-bye before he hung up the phone. I buried my face into the pillow under my head, hating myself for sinking this low. It didn't last long before I felt the need to throw up wash over me again. I was tossing my cookies in the toilet when Tommy found his way back to my apartment. He walked into the bathroom and held my hair back for me, making soothing noises as I whimpered between heaves.

"I'm sorry." I whispered after my spell was over. I slouched back against the wall and flushed the toilet.

"Don't worry about it. Here." He held out a cold wash cloth and I took it, wiping my mouth. Sweat was pouring off of me in buckets and I couldn't shake the queasy feeling in my stomach. "Come on. Let's get you into bed." Bending over, he scooped me up into his arms and walked out of the bathroom. I guided him in the direction of my bedroom and he carefully walked up the hall and into the door way. If I didn't feel like death, I might have felt ashamed for my dirty room but I didn't care. Tommy gently set me down on the bed and covered me with my blanket. He disappeared for a moment, reappearing with the trash can from my bathroom. "Just in case." He said softly, putting it on the floor next to the bed. I groaned, closing my eyes to fight back tears. This was worse than being hung over. At least I knew that was coming. This, I had no clue. It was similar to that of being run over by a steam roller.

"I'm sorry I called you." I whispered, opening my eyes again to look over at him. He sat on the edge of the bed, rest a hand on my leg.

"That's what I'm here for, remember? Get some sleep. It will help this thing go away faster. I'll be here when you wake up." I nodded, allowing myself to drift into an uneasy sleep.

The nightmares were terrible. The first one was of me standing in the middle of Angel Grove high school and everyone was wearing black. When I tried to find out what was going on, they had Trini's body on display in the cafeteria. I tried to get to her but each step looked like I was a mile away. The next dream, I was bartending and Tommy walked in with Rita Repulsa. Together, they told me that he was running off to marry her because she was his queen. I knew that one was a dream since Rita was no where to be found now. The dreams all shifted into different variations of either Tommy or Trini. I tried to kick out of each dream but it didn't work until the very end of them. I would wake only long enough to see hazy images of Tommy on the side of my bed or me trying to stand but falling. I wasn't sure what was real or a dream after a while, everything blurring together in a way that made me queasy. I begged it to stop. I begged for whatever divine power above to make it stop. I had seen people go throw withdrawal on television before but that was for hard drugs. Did alcohol really cause this?

I slipped into a dream where I was floating over Angel Grove. At first, I thought I was in an airplane or something. But then I saw I had long pink wings like a crane. I soared over the outskirts of the town, the Command Center under me. I continued to fly, the staples of Angel Grove coming into view. The park was below and the lake glistened in the sun. Little dots that were people decorated the green grass. Going passed the park, I spotted the high school with yellow buses lined up in the back parking lot. I could hear the school bell ring and kids filed out the doors. My wings flapped harder and I was soon out of Angel Grove, heading up the coast. Highways stretched under me that overlooked the shore line. My eyes focused on a little silver spot that I recognized as a car. It followed the lines of the road carefully, heading north. I glided above it, matching it's movements with my own. It was peaceful and mesmerizing, our weaving around corners in sync with each other.

Ahead, I spotted a dark blue colored SUV heading towards the silver car. This vehicle kept crossing the middle line, it seemingly unaware of the fact there were lines to stay between. It was nearly half a mile away, it hidden behind a sharp corner. I tried to cry out to warn the other car but the only sound that came from me was a sharp piercing cawing. I flew closer but I couldn't seem to get close enough. The SUV came careening around the corner and the sound of tires screeching filled the air. The silver car attempted to stop but the SUV slammed into the passenger side. The car skidded off the road, slamming into tree after tree as it went. I dove, panic filling my chest. The car continued to veer into the trees, the metal scratching against each one it passed. It finally came to a stop as the SUV rolled to a slow halt on the roadway. I gentle flew down and landed on a branch above the car. It was head first into the tree, smoke billowing from under the bent hood. I tried calling out again but the same noise came out. I flapped my wings, doing my best to clear the smoke. No movement came from the car, not telling me if the person was okay.

Hopping off the branch, I perched myself on the root of a nearby tree where I could stand eye level with the windows of the car. The smoke began to subside and I could hear someone calling out from the road. Turning, I noticed a man staggered up on the pavement. Distress was written on his face while he fucked with a phone in his hands. Turning my attention back to the car, I could finally see into the driver side door. I could just make out a face that was covered in black hair and blood. The blood matted into the hair, making it almost impossible to tell if it was a man or woman. They were slouched over the steering wheel, their arm covering part of their head at an odd angle. Stepping closer, the arm fell from it's place. Beautiful brown almond shaped eyes looked up at me, the vacant expression on her face staring into my soul.

"TRINI!" I screamed, panic exploding in my chest as I sprang up in bed. Sweat was pouring down my back and face as I gasped for air. My entire body was trembling and I searched around the room. Tears streamed down my face as the reality of the dream I just had slowly came over me. "Oh god." I cried, burying my face in my hands. I heard shuffling coming towards my room and I knew Tommy had entered the room by the soft gracefulness of his steps.

"Kim? What's wrong?" He asked, his weight sinking on the edge of the bed.

"I saw Trini." I sobbed, the words barely coming out between gasps of air. "She was in the car. I tried to stop her. I couldn't. I couldn't get to her." Pushing myself up, I crawled over and wrapped my arms around Tommy's shoulders and buried my head in his neck. His arms wrapped around me as I continued to sob.

"Shhh." He said soothingly, his hand rubbing my back. "It's okay."

"No it's not." I whispered. "It'll never be okay."

I managed to get a couple more hours of sleep before groggily waking up. The clock on my bedside table said it was quarter to ten, the sun shining brightly outside as compared to the rain that had poured yesterday and all night long. As I sat up, I felt every muscle in my body ache. It was a dull pain, nothing like the terrible amounts of it I was feeling last night that caused me to shiver. I wasn't entirely sure of what to make of last night. It was like the flu but ten times worst. Never in my life I had I ever felt something that made me want to die more than that. Not even the things Rita or her gross husband Lord Zedd had done to me compared to the nightmare of that.

Crawling out of bed, I felt like a ninety year old. I was freezing, even though I knew it was warm outside. I grabbed my worn out pink bathrobe from the back of my bedroom door and wrapped it tightly around me. Crossing my arms, I slowly made my way to the bathroom. I was surprised to see I still had fluid in me to piss out but I managed to do so. Glancing in the mirror, I saw the image of what death must look like. My hair was everywhere, there were black bags under my eyes and some unknown substance dried to the side of my face. I ran the hot water for a few seconds and washed my face quickly. It was a slow process that hurt with each movement but I managed to resemble a half dead human rather than something you'd see walking through the _Thriller_ music video. I don't even think I could pull of Michael's moves right now but I do know them by heart. Or at least I used to.

Pulling my hair back into a loose bun, I shuffled my way into the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway when I saw Tommy laying on my loveseat. Well, mostly on the loveseat. His torso was at least. His arms and head were dangling off the edge while his legs were strewn over the arm. He was a good three feet too tall for the thing, something that was evident from the odd angle his head and neck was. Still, he was sound asleep, his chest rising and falling with each breath he took. Since he arrived, it was the first time I had seen him so peaceful. Only, he really wasn't. His brow was furrowed and he looked like he was dreaming about something. His grey t-shirt was coated in something I was begging wasn't my vomit and he had tossed his jeans into the corner of the room. I smirked at his dark green flannel boxers, his signature color from back in the day. You could take the powers from Tommy but the Ranger side of him would always be there.

As quietly as I could, I walked over to the fridge and pulled it open. I didn't feel like eating much but it was the least I could do for him after he powered through taking care of me. I didn't see anything that resembled edible food in there but I did score three packets of instant oatmeal in the back of my cupboard. Two of them were maple and the odd man out was blueberry. Grabbing too bowls, I poured the maples in one and the blueberry in another. Adding some water, I popped the first bowl into the microwave and hit the one minute button. I managed to open the door before it beeped, beating the loud obscene noise. I put the other bowl in and repeated the action. I opted for the bowl of blueberry, the portion smaller and hopefully less vulgar on my stomach. I cleared the table of what little was on it and set the bowl down at the chairs. Honestly if someone didn't know me, you would think my house was owned by a normal hardworking girl just trying to make ends meet.

"Hey." I said softly, leaning over the back of the couch closer to Tommy's head. He didn't stir though, his breath still deep as he inhaled. Lightly, I put my hand on his shoulder and shook slightly. "Tommy." His eyes popped open and he jumped slightly when he saw me standing over him. I stood up straight, giving him room so our heads wouldn't collide.

"Huh? What's going on? Are you okay?" He asked, standing.

"Besides feeling like the Megazord stepped on me, I'm fine." I replied, smiling at him. "I made you breakfast. Well…oatmeal. I made you oatmeal." I pointed at the table. He eyed me for a moment, raising an eyebrow.

"You're cracking Ranger jokes AND cooked for me? Did we perform an exorcist last night and I wasn't aware of it?" He asked, smirking at me.

"Lot of talk coming from a guy in his boxers." I shot back. Glancing down, his eyes widened as he realized I was correct. Searching, he quickly found his jeans and pulled them on. I heard him swear under his breath as I walked over to the table. Grabbing two spoons from the strainer, I sat at the table in front of the blueberry oatmeal. He followed, sitting across from me. Steam rose from both bowls and I stirred mine around to cool it.

"You look better now than you did at 3 am." He said, taking a bite of his cereal.

"I feel slightly better. I can tolerate being alive at least. I have no clue what came over me but I want to thank you. I shouldn't have called you."

"Yes, you should have. I'm your friend, Kim. That's why I'm here." He took another bite. "And I'm pretty sure that was withdrawal you were going through. You've been without alcohol and meds for a solid two days now. Your body is craving it."

"Well, it's that just swell." I muttered, swirling my oatmeal around with my spoon.

"You should ask your counselor about it when you go today. They might have some ideas for you and how to deal with it. Not that I don't mind being covered in your vomit all the time now." I groaned.

"What is that? Twice now? Awesome. I don't plan it. I promise."

"You know, I almost believe that." He winked, scooping some oatmeal on his spoon. "I've had worse on me. I'm sure you can recall a certain Ivan Ooze."

"EW! That guy was a creep. I suddenly don't feel as bad for it anymore. That shit stained all of my clothes. I had to throw out one of my favorite tank-tops after we fought him. Being a Ranger should have came with dry cleaning." Tommy laughed, shaking his head.

"Or at least a 401k program." He replied.

"God, we sound ancient sitting here talking about this. Maybe that's why Zordon didn't ask adults to be rangers. They would ask for a complete benefits package and time off. We were just worried about missing curfew too many times."

"Which I did. All the damn time." Tommy said. I nodded, remembering the many times I was grounded because of my ranger duties.

"Speaking of the Power Rangers, when exactly were you going to tell me you were back in action again?" I asked, nibbling on some oatmeal. Tommy coughed, choking a bit on the bite he had on his mouth. I gave him an expectant look, waiting for him to catch his breath.

"What? What do you mean?" He asked innocently.

"Oh, please. You just happen to live in the same town as a new team, you hang out with kids who wear the colors, and you just happen to sport a lot of black in your free time? Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?" I waved my spoon at him. "I might not be brilliant like Billy but not all of my brain cells have been damaged." Sighing, he pushed his bowl away and leaned back in his chair.

"You caught me. Yeah. I am the black ranger. Well, was the black ranger. We aren't active anymore. Our powers were gone as on last week's attack. See, after I quit the racing circuit, I went to college for paleontology. I got involved with a guy named Anton Mercer. He was looking for these things called dino gems. They came from the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs, absorbing their powers. While were doing research on them at our lab, there was an explosion. I ended up in Reefside, trying to find them. The kids, Connor, Ethan, and Kira, ended up finding them before I did though. I didn't think it would turn them into rangers but yet, it did. Long story short, there was another gem and I found myself fighting again. There's another kid too. His name is Trent. He was evil for a while but we managed to get him to join us. Sound familiar?" He said nonchalantly as he leaned forward again. I blinked at him.

"Wait. You were facing an _evil_ ranger? How the fuck does that happen twice in one lifetime? So were you like their mentor or something? Like Zordon?"

"I was their mentor, yes. There was no way I was anything close to Zordon though. We were a good team. We got the job done and beat the bad guys. Pretty sure my time as a ranger is all tapped out though. Getting up in the morning after a fight at 30 is a lot harder than 17." I laughed.

"You aren't even thirty yet!" I pointed out. "But I can see that. Did you miss it?"

"Yeah. I didn't realize it until I was back at the mantle. But I know that my prime is gone. It's best to leave it to the bender youths of today."

"Do you ever imagine what life would have been like if you hadn't become a Power Ranger?" I asked, pushing my bowl away. He shrugged, running a hand over his bed head.

"I guess I do sometimes. Why?"

"Sometimes I just think that things might have been easier then. Or at least normal. I don't know."

"Well," He said, standing and grabbing out bowls. "I know one thing that came from being a ranger I'll never regret."

"What's that?" I asked. He rounded the table and stopped at the sink. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at me.

"Meeting you."


	15. Chapter 15

_**15.**_

After a shower for the both of us, Tommy and I climbed into his truck and hit the road. The first meeting for the afternoon would be happening at one and I was hopeful I could speak to Dr. McAvoy in private before the meeting started. Twenty five minutes later, Tommy pulled into the strip mall parking lot and put the truck in park along the curb. Reaching behind him, he ruffled around the storage area behind his seat for a minute. Swearing under his breath, he turned back around so he was facing forward.

"Missing something?" I asked.

"No. I was hoping I had a granola bar or something back here still. I can just run to the store while I'm waiting for you. Do you need anything from the store?"

"I actually do need to go grocery shopping. If you don't mind, we can go after my meeting." Tommy nodded.

"I think I can manage that. Maybe I'll check out the little stores around here while I'm waiting. Good luck." He gave me a genuine smile will support brimming in the corners of his lips. My stomach still felt off but I felt butterflies flying around in there as I undid the seat belt. I popped open the door.

"Thanks. I'll try not to take too long."

"Take your time. I've got nothing else going on in my life. And I do mean literally nothing else." He sighed, sitting back in his seat.

"That's pretty pitiful sounding, Mr. Oliver." I chided, winking at him as I slid out of the seat. I gave him a little wave, closing the door behind me. My sneakers slapped the sidewalk as I walked towards the front door of the treatment center. I heard the truck engine idle behind me for a moment before Tommy put it in drive and turned towards a parking spot. Shaking my head, I grabbed the handle of the glass door and pulled it open.

"Good morning, Kimberly!" Danielle said as I stepped into the center room. She was sitting at the desk, sorting through papers in front of her. "I'm glad to see you here so soon."

"I'm giving it my best." I replied, feeling a tad bit shy about her excitement to see me here. "Is there a chance I could see Dr. McAvoy before group starts?"

"Let me see what she's doing. She might be able to squeeze you in quick." Smiling, she pushed out from behind her desk and straighten out the light blue dress she was wearing. Her heels sank into the carpet as she walked around the corner towards the hall that lead to the office and group rooms. Tucking a piece of hair behind me ear, I wandered around this side of the room for a moment. I spotted some magazines on a side table along with what seemed to be board games tucked under the table top. There was a small group of people on the far side of the room, talking to each other near a water cooler. I did my best not to stare as I realized they were probably here for the group session. Like me, they had a problem that forced them to come here. I wondered if theirs was as bad as mine or if I was the worst case of alcoholism they had ever seen. The thought struck horror to me. Watch me be the reason this place closes down due to not having a good enough success rate. I was trying to do the math of their percentage when someone cleared their throat behind me.

"Kimberly? You wanted to see me?" Dr. McAvoy stated as I turned around. Today, her short and plump frame was dressed in a t-shirt with the rehab center's name on the front and a pair of blue jeans. I was thrown off by the informal way she was dressed. I hadn't expected that. She must have noticed my reaction because she laughed. "Sorry. I tend to dress down on days where I have group sessions. It makes everyone feel more comfortable and less judged. C'mon. We can talk in my office."

"Thank you for seeing me." I said, following behind her as she walked towards her office. She seemed shorter now without heels on, something that I found striking due to my short height.

"No problem. I'm very glad to see you at group today. I honestly thought it might take a few weeks for you to come around." Approaching her door, she opened it and signaled for me to enter. I did, perching myself on the couch. She closed the door behind her and sat in the chair across from me. "So, I'm going to guess that you've been going through withdrawal since we last spoke."

"How did you know?" I gaped, confused.

"It's not uncommon. And you don't seem yourself today either. Rough night?" I nodded, leaning back into the couch.

"One could say that. It was awful. I thought for sure I was going to die."

"A lot of people say that." She replied, smiling. "I assure you that you are not alone in that."

"I don't understand though." I said. "I've been sober for a few days now. Why did it take so long for me to feel that way? On TV, it's usually the next day."

"Well, it could be a number of reasons. Everyone reacts differently. I also think they pumped you with a great deal of medications at the hospital while you were there. They tend to do that when an addict is getting treatment of some kind. It makes it so you aren't going through withdrawal symptoms while they are trying to make you better. I don't agree with it but sadly, I have no control of that." She sighed.

"So, they pumped me full of meds so I wouldn't crave alcohol?" She nodded.

"Correct. Your body takes longer to cycle through medication than it does alcohol. That could be why it took so long for you to begin going through withdrawal."

"Begin?" I questioned. "You mean it's not over yet?"

"It's hard to tell. Like I said, everyone is different. It all depends on your body and how much it's dependent on the substance. Some people have been known to feel the effects for months. Others breeze through after a couple of days. It takes time. You are going to feel like shit for a while, to be frank. Once you get over that hurdle, it'll seem a lot better. This is going to be the biggest challenge you've ever faced. I'm not saying it'll get easier but it won't be the most important thing on your mind after a while. And we're here to support you through everything and so is your support circle."

"I feel like such a burden though. I had to call someone to come stay with me last night because I couldn't even function." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"It's not something for the weak to go through. It's going to be embarrassing and brutal. I've got a feeling about you though, Kimberly. I think you are going to achieve great things through this program. Trust me. I've seen addicts far worse than you come out of this place and go on to a lot brighter things. It all depends on you and your accountability." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's almost time for group. I'll introduce you to everyone."

Dr. McAvoy lead me to the group meeting room which was three doors down from her office. Inside, I found myself standing in a good sized room that was very bright. There were only small windows on the far wall but the walls were a pale yellow color and the dark grey carpet under my feet matched with it well. People were sitting in dark blue chairs in a circle in the middle of the room, making small talk while waiting to begin. There were about seven people here, two empty chairs next to each other making the total nine. Dr. McAvoy pointed at one of the chairs and I sat, tucking my purse under it. A woman across from me made eye contact, giving me a small smile. She was older than me, maybe edging towards early forties. She had blonde hair that was graying in a pony tail on the back of her head. Next to her, sat a man in his sixties. He looked tired but was talking in a cheerful way with the younger man sitting next to him. They looked similar, suggesting they were related in some manner. Father and son maybe?

In the chair next to me, there was a girl who had to be no older than 18. If it had been during the school year, I would have questioned why she wasn't in school. She sat, staring at her cell phone as she texted with both thumbs. Her long black hair hung around her face, streaks of blue running through them. Now and then, she would snap gum between her teeth. She didn't seem to take notice of the rest of the room. On her other side, there was another man who looked to be in his forties. He was drinking coffee from a travel mug and had a head of thick red hair. He smiled at me when he caught me looking at him, giving a small wave. Between him and the blonde woman, there was a petite Asian woman with short black hair who seemed to be around my age as well as a college aged boy with shaggy blonde hair he kept moving out of his eyes. None of these people looked like they were alcoholics. The younger kinds surprised me the most I supposed. Usually, you would picture someone who was older that choose drinking to deal with their shit. Though, I don't think I would even fall into that stereotype as well.

"Hello, everyone." Dr. McAvoy said, sitting next to me. The chatter stopped as everyone turned to face into the circle. "It's good to see that everyone made it today. I did hear from Charlie's daughter this morning. His surgery went off without an hitch and he will be back with us in a couple of weeks." There was a murmur of grateful and happy thoughts around the circle. "Now, before we begin, I want to introduce our newest member." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "This is Kimberly. She's brand new to our program and is fresh to the merit point system. I think we will go around the room and everyone can introduce themselves."

"I'll start. My name is Sam." The blonde woman said. "I'm mostly here for the company but my alcoholism seems to need it too." She smiled, taking me a moment to realize it was a joke.

"My name is Joshua but you can call me Josh." The older man next to Sam said. He put a supportive hand on the younger man's back next to him. "I'm here to support my grandson through his treatments."

"We allow family members to attend our group sessions if it is what the client needs to be successful." Dr. McAvoy explained. I nodded.

"I'm Jake, the grandson." The younger man said. They both had the same green eyes, just years between them. "I'm a drug addict. Heroin, mostly. I've been coming here for almost a year now. It's not easy but it's something you learn to live with after a while."

"Call me Pete." The man in his forties on the other side of the circle said, holding up his hand. "I came here after my wife left me because of my drinking and my gambling. It's been two years now and I'm enjoying my sobriety but these meetings get me through those times I'm unsure of myself."

"You're doing great." The Asian woman said, patting his knee with her hand. "My name is Su Li. I'm Pete's girlfriend as well as an alcoholic, one year sober. We met here at the program and have been helping each other the entire journey." She gestured to the girl sitting next to me who finally shoved her phone into her hoodie pocket.

"I'm Tina. I was the newbie of the group before you came. I've been here for three months now, fighting an addiction to pain meds as well as cutting. The group helps." She stated, shrugging her shoulders. All eyes turned to the young man who was next to Sam that hadn't spoke yet.

"Guess that leaves me. My name is Mark. I'm court ordered to be here after my DUI last spring. Currently, I have 152 days left of this before I'm a free man. It was either this or prison. This seemed like a lesser of two evils, I suppose. I'm not an alcoholic though. I just got drunk at a party and made the dumbass mistake of trying to drive. You live, you learn." He slouched back in his chair, giving off the impression he didn't think much of the group.

"Mark, we've talked about this before. You've got to be more optimistic going into this if you want it to work." Pete said, shifting to look at Mark.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I've heard it every week now for the last twenty of them. Can we move one please?" Mark turned his eyes towards me.

"Well, okay then. Like Dr. McAvoy said, I'm Kimberly. I've been an alcoholic for about nine months now. It's not something I'm used to talking about so forgive me if I'm not opening up at first." I said, fiddling with the hem of my shirt.

"That's okay." Su Li said. "Everyone is new at some point. You'll learn to open up to us. Well, unless you're Mark." There was a slight chuckle around the room as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, ha ha." He muttered.

The next hour was filled with everyone going around the room and talking about their weeks. I learned a great deal about Pete and Su Li. Pete had been a foreman for a construction firm until about three years ago. There was an accident on the site and when it came to give one the spot piss tests, he failed it. He was fired for drinking on the job and had no saving to fall back on due to the fact he was $100,000 in debt from gambling. His wife left then, thinking he was nothing more than a loser who had no future. He was at his lowest then, turning to drinking more. He, like Mark, ended up drinking and driving. Luckily for him though, he wasn't caught but it was the wake up call he needed. He enrolled in this program and started turning his life around. That's when he met Su Li. She was a real estate agent who had gotten into the habit of drinking while on the job as well. When her license was revoked because of this, she decided to get help to set an example for her two daughters. She struggled a lot in the beginning, falling on and off the wagon more times than she could recall. Finally, it sunk in when Pete became her sponsor. They've been together ever since, working on building a new life together for them and their children.

Sam was also one of the more vocal members on the group. Like me, she started drinking after a death in her life; her father. He had been killed over seas during the beginning of the Gulf War. She wasn't adjusting well to life without him and started drinking. It progressed until her family did an intervention and brought her here. Mark talked a little, not really saying much rather than he was counting down the days until he was out of here. I couldn't help but find myself agreeing with him a little. But, I also found him a bit discouraging. And the fact he found drunk driving not that big of a deal dug under my skin. I glared at him as he talked but he didn't seem to care enough to notice. After him, Josh spoke about Jake doing well at his last few soccer games and how he was hoping he would get the scholarship he applied for to college. Jake was embarrassed but also proud of his grandfather for speaking so highly of him. It brought a smile to my face.

"Kim, it's usually tradition that the newest member of the group ends the session by talking a little about what brought them here. This isn't like a private session where we build the treatment plan off of it. You can share as little or as much as you wish." Dr. McAvoy said, giving me a reassuring smile. I felt my mouth and throat go dry as I squirmed in my seat.

"Okay. Umm…I started drinking back in October. My best friend died in a car accident and I was 3,000 miles away. I couldn't bring myself to go home to deal with it so I started drinking to make myself feel better. It worked for a while but then it took over my life. I don't want it to anymore. I hate feeling like it's the most important part of my life." I took a deep breath. "I just want to be myself again."

"And you can be." Sam said, putting her hands on her knees. "We are all living proof that you don't need to be your addiction."

The meeting ended and several people gave me their cell phone numbers to keep in touch during the program. I was standing by the door, waiting for Dr. McAvoy to walk over when Mark approached me. He had a back pack over his shoulder and a slightly smug look on his face. "Hey." He said, nodding.

"Hi." I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I saw you were looking for phone numbers of people who might be able to help you through this. Do you want mine? I mean, maybe we could go out to dinner and not drink?" He asked, leaning against the wall next to me.

"I think I'm going to pass on that." I replied, taking a step away from him.

"You're that girl that sings at the Glenmore, right?" He questioned, eyeing me.

"I was."

"I thought so. My buddies and I used to go there every college night to watch you sing and get drunk off your ass. So what? Your boss finally can you or is he making you come here so you can keep your job?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, taken back by his question. He chuckled.

"I find it funny that a tramp that will sleep with anyone who buys her alcohol has the right to turn me down. To each their own I guess. Just know that this program is a crock of shit and there's no saving a whore from being a whore."

"That's a whole lot of shit talk coming from a guy who could have killed someone. What gives you the right to get behind the wheel of a 2 ton killing machine after getting wasted? Nothing. People fucking die because of fuckers like you who think that they can handle it. Drunk driving is what killed my best friend. Maybe you shouldn't act like it wasn't a big deal and get your head out of your ass. You're right. You don't belong here. You belong in prison which is where they will throw your ass when you do it again. Trust me. You will. Little bastards who don't learn their lessons the first time always do." I hissed.

"Kimberly, let me book your next appointment!" Dr. McAvoy called over from the middle of the room. Mark glared at me as I walked away from him.


	16. Chapter 16

_**16.**_

"Then, I ripped the guy a new asshole! It was exhilarating!" I exclaimed, walking through the produce section of Wal-Mart. Tommy was walking beside me, listening to my tale of telling Mark off as he pushed the shopping cart.

"Good. If you didn't, I was going to use some Ranger tech to find the guy to do it myself. What an ass. I'm glad you stood up to him." He replied, tossing a head of lettuce into the cart. It landed near the bag of potatoes and tomatoes that were there. Seeing these in here was a little foreign to me. Usually, my shopping consisted of freezer meals and alcohol. I couldn't remember that last time I cooked something that didn't involve the microwave.

"Well, if that option is on the table, I have a couple other people who could use a beat down." I said, smirking at him. Tommy chuckled, turning down the canned goods aisle. People were going up and down the aisles, shopping for groceries for their homes. He skirted by a woman with a baby on the left, stopping by the spaghetti sauce. Looking around for a minute, he grabbed three cans of stewed tomatoes and put them in the cart along with two large cans of sauce. "Tommy, are we shopping for an army here?"

"No but I figured it would be something you can freeze and reheat for when I'm not there." He said, looking sheepishly away from me.

"I do know how to work a stove. And how to order a pizza." I teased. "And let's be honest; when aren't you there? Pretty sure at this point, you're just paying to store your clothes at the hotel."

"Yeah. They sure know how to get you." He muttered, heading to the next aisle. "I'm glad your meeting went well. I think you're going to like this program."

"I hope so. I think Dr. McAvoy is good at what she does. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of all of this."

"Me too." Tommy replied, adding some boxes of macaroni to the cart and a box of rice. "Do you like Italian food?"

"Of course." I said, putting some other things in the cart that I would want.

"Okay. I'm thinking lasagna for dinner then."

"Oh my god. I can't even remember the last time I had lasagna." I thought for a moment. I really couldn't. It wasn't a bar food and I would have never made my own here.

"It'll be my honor then." He smiled at me.

"Thank you, Tommy. For everything. Honestly, I don't even know how you put up with the crap I've been putting you through since you got here. There's gotta be some way I can make it up to you." I said, looking up at him.

"It's fine, Kim. Just get better. That's all that matters to me."

"No. There's gotta be something." I stopped in front of the cart, turning to face him. "How about you stay with me until you head back to Reefside?"

"What?" He asked, looking surprised. I nodded.

"You can check out of the hotel and just stay with me. Look at all the money you would be saving. I mean, we'd have to find you something else to sleep on besides my loveseat but that's nothing an air mattress wouldn't cure."

"I couldn't impose on you like that."

"I'm offering, Tommy. It's not like you wouldn't be over at my house every day anyway. I know you. You're harder to get rid of than a leech."

"Are you sure about this? After everything that happened?" He gave me an uneasy look, worry on his features.

"I'm positive. If you want to stay with me, you can."

"Alright. But if it gets to be too much, you need to let me know. I don't want to cause any issues with you getting sober."

"Please. You worry too much." I scoffed, tossing a bag of double stuffed Oreos in the cart. "Just keep in mind that you will be living with me. I'm kind of a mess to live with."

"I can imagine." He said, leaning forward on the handle of the cart. "I think I can recall Aisha saying something along the lines of 'bathroom hog' when you lived with her." I gasped.

"She's one to talk! Do you know how long she spent in there doing all her braids EVERY morning before school. It was a wonder I ever made it on time because of her. And don't even get me started on the mornings when her Grandmother was giving us a ride to school. That woman drove like 15 miles an hour on the highway. Bless her soul." I eyed a row of bread, trying to find the cheapest loaves. They were tucked away on the bottom, ringing in a grand total of 97 cents a piece. I grabbed two, putting them in the top part of the cart where the kids usually sit. It felt nice shopping with Tommy. Like a regular activity that people would do on an afternoon. Couples do this kind of thing, stocking up their apartments for food to cook together and eat together while watching television on Friday nights. It was something I've never had before. In fact, I've never actually known anyone I'd want to live with other than Tommy in that way. When I was younger, I used to daydream about stuff like this. That we'd go shopping together, holding hands and laughing. First it would just be us and then our family would get bigger each time we had kids. I always stopped at three, thinking that four would be perfect but maybe too much on Tommy. I've always wanted a big family but not to the point where people started singing the Partiage Family theme song behind us in public. This could have been our normal, every day life until my pathetic jealousy came along. It still could be if I wasn't drowning in my own shit.

"I see why I was your personal driver once I got my own car." He said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Not that I minded driving the prettiest girl in school around. Did great for my image." A blush filled my cheeks and I turned so I wasn't facing him, acting like I was interested in something on the shelf.

"Oh, stop it. I was not the prettiest. And I stopped being a cheerleader in ninth grade because of…other things that were going on if you catch my drift." I replied, waving my hand in the air.

"Still didn't stop you from coming to all of my football games."

"Well, yeah. My boyfriend was the star quarterback. Of course I was going to be there."

"I was only the quarterback because the kid who was destined for it moved away. And I wouldn't exactly say star. More like moderately average." He made a left hand turn down the frozen food aisle, a line of freezers on either side of us. Stopping half way down, he grabbed some garlic bread from inside the glass door along with frozen French fries.

"I don't think anything about you is average, Tommy." I said, gazing at the door full of ice cream. Pulling it open, I grabbed a half gallon of chocolate peanut butter swirl. I set it in the cart next to the frozen fries.

"I think that might have been a compliment." He replied, grinning at me. I smirked, tucking my hands into the pockets of my jean shorts.

"Maybe. Don't get used to it though."

We finished shopping, grabbing an air mattress for Tommy to sleep on instead of cramming on my loveseat. As we looked around, a seed of doubt planted in the back of mind. Was it too forward to offer my place to stay at? It made sense to me when I had said it but now, I was a little worried it gave him the wrong impression. Well, more like the right impression but the wrong timing. I didn't say anything though as we cashed out. I tried to pay for the groceries but he managed to do so before I could even protest. We loaded everything into the back of the truck and then he drove to my house. After helping me unload everything and put it away, he said he would be back after packing up his stuff at the hotel and checking out.

While Tommy was gone, I made quick work of scrubbing down my kitchen and my bathroom. Granted my living space wasn't the most lavish of areas but I didn't want him to think I lived like a slob. I picked up all of my clothes and tossed them into the trash pile of what used to be my bedroom. I swept the floors and did the rest of the dishes. I even lit some scented candles to make it seem cleaner in here than it actually was. Once it was up to my standards, I started to boil some water on the stove to cook macaroni. I know he had planned on cooking me dinner but I was going to beat him to it. I tossed the dry macaroni in the water as soon as it bubbled and started making the cheese sauce of mac and cheese. I know four recipes that I can cook from scratch. This is as basic as it can get. I was stirring the cooked noodles into the sauce when he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" I called, wiping my hands on my jeans. He pushed open the door, a duffle bag in one hand and a trash bag over his shoulder.

"It smells great in here. I see you were busy." He said, setting his stuff down on the floor behind the couch.

"It was just something easy I figured I could whip together while you were gone. Did you get everything you needed? I mean, I don't have much here but I do have some razors and stuff like that. And girly body wash if you're into that." I replied, scooping food into bowls on the table.

"I stopped on my way here and got some stuff. I'll be fine, Kim. But, I also got something else. I hope you're not mad either." He disappeared out the front door again for a minute, returning with a larger box in hand. Turning, I saw it was a television. It was one of the flat kinds, the words BUILT IN DVD PLAYER stamped on the side of it.

"Tommy…" I trailed off, eyeing him. "Tell me you didn't buy me a TV."

"Think of it as me buying a TV for us to use." He replied, walking over and setting it up on the end table next to my couch. "I can take it with me when I head back to Reefside next month. I need sports, Kim. You can't cut me off entirely. I figured we could watch a movie or something tonight."

"I don't have cable." I replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It has an antenna too. If you really hate it, I'll take it back." He said, bending to pick it up again.

"No. It's fine. I don't even think I can remember that last time I saw a movie." I placed the bowls down on the table in front of the chairs, sliding forks next to them. "When did Titanic come out?"

"You can't be serious!" He exclaimed, cutting the top of the box open. "I took you to see that."

"What does that tell you?" I replied, looking over my shoulder. I watched as he yanked the TV from the box, pieces of card board, plastic packaging and Styrofoam coming with it. He shoved the end table over by the wall, setting the TV up across from the couch. It wasn't the biggest thing, maybe 24 inches. Though I had never purchased one, I knew these types of TVs were expensive. He must have spent a lot on it, something that made me feel guilty for a moment. He plugged it into the outlet by the baseboard and tore the remote out of the plastic packaging. Pressing a button, the screen lit up blue for a moment before going black.

"I'll have to scan for channels while we're eating. It looks good, by the way. Thank you for dinner." I shrugged as he walked over towards the table. He sat down and I slid the chair out across from him, sitting.

"It was no big deal. I'll have to make you dinner for a year to make up for everything you've done for me. Somehow, I don't think mac and cheese will cut it."

"Are you kidding?" He asked, shoveling a spoonful of food into his mouth. "Mac and cheese is one of my favorites! This is delicious. Consider us even." I rolled my eyes, laughing.

"And to think you commanded the strongest fighting team on the planet." He snorted, nodding.

"I know. I have a hard time believing it too." He took another bite of his food and I did as well, my stomach still not feeling itself. "So, Rocky called me while I was at the hotel."

"Really? How is he?" I asked, not liking where it was going.

"Fine. Getting ready for the wedding and everything. He wanted to know if I was bringing you with me." He replied nonchalantly. Sighing, I pushed my bowl away.

"Are we really going to go through this again right now? We had a nice day, Tommy. Can't it continue to be a nice day?"

"I'm not trying to start a fight. I'm just saying that the offer still stands for you to go back with me. Everyone would love to see you. And it's not every day two of our friends get married. It might be something good to get your mind off everything." I stood, pushing my car in.

"Right. A giant party with an open bar. I'm sure that it would take my mind of my drinking problem." I set my full bowl of uneaten food on the stove. "I'm not going back." My aggravation level was steadily growing now.

"I don't think you're being fair to them or yourself, Kim. This day is important to Rocky and Aisha and I know they would want you there." He pleaded, setting his fork down. I shook my head, not believing what he was saying right now.

"You can think I'm selfish all you want. I'm not going back. End of discussion. Enjoy your dinner." I stormed passed him and headed to my bedroom.

* * *

A couple hours passed, filled with me stewing in my bedroom. In my anger, I managed to clean my room entirely and curse out an invisible Tommy for everything that had happened. The anger began to die down though as the sun set and I heard Tommy blow up his air mattress. I could picture him in my living room, trying to keep everything neat as he got ready for bed. I was surprised he was still here but then I remembered that I had brilliantly convinced him to check out of his hotel room. Where else was he supposed to go? Part of me wished he would just pack up and head back to California while the other part of me dreaded the fact that I was driving him towards that. Maybe everyone was right about me. Maybe I needed therapy more that I thought I did.

Around ten, I heard silence throughout the house and figured Tommy had gone to bed. My stomach growled loudly, it upset with the fact I hadn't ate much before yelling at Tommy. I snuck out of my bedroom and headed towards the kitchen. There was flashing lights on the walls, telling me the television was on. Poking my head around the door frame, I saw him sitting up on the couch. The remote was in his hand and he was flicking through the same four channels it seemed. He had changed from his clothes into flannel pajama pants and a grey tank top, both that made his muscles more apparent in the pale light. I had lost my bet on him sleeping and when I tried to head back to my room before he noticed, the floor board under my foot creaked. Tommy turned, looking up at me. His eyes softened when he saw me and he muted the television, a baseball game on the screen.

"Hey." He said, not moving from the couch.

"Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I was just coming down for something to eat." I said meekly.

"It's your house. You're allowed to do what you want." He replied.

We fell silent for a moment, neither of us looking at the other. Finally, I stepped into the room and walked into the kitchenette. The mac and cheese was gone from the stove top, Tommy putting it away more than likely. I opened the fridge and found my bowl wrapped in cling wrap. Grabbing it, I pulled it from the fridge and ripped the plastic wrap off it. Walking over to the microwave, I put the bowl in and hit the three minute button. I stayed facing the appliance, not willing to chance the fact he might be looking at me.

"I'm sorry." He said, the sound of a voice cutting through the silence in the room. "I shouldn't have brought it up again so soon after you said you had made up your mind. I was in the wrong."

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up like that. Apparently aggression is a symptom of withdrawal. You're only trying to help and I keep attacking you like you're the enemy when you're not." I replied, turning to face him. "I'm starting to think that the drunk me was more fun to hang around, minus the obnoxiousness of it all." He tossed the remote down on the couch and stood. Walking towards me, he ran a hand over his hair.

"We managed to make it a grand total of half an hour living together before getting into a fight. I think that's a new record for us. I think this calls for a celebration." From behind his back, he pulled out a DVD case. I could see Titanic printed on the front of the Blockbuster logo. I laughed.

"That's like a three hour long movie. You sure you're up for it?"

"Yeah! We bought enough snacks that I can power through this bitch like nothing." He said confidently.

That was a lie. The boat hadn't even sunk yet by the time Tommy was passed out on the loveseat next to me. His head was tilted back, facing the ceiling while he slightly snored away. I smirked at him as I at another spoonful of ice cream. He had lasted a lot longer than I gave him credit for. Not many men can make it through this sob fest before sub coming to the sleeping pill like symptom it had. Now and then, he would murmur in his sleep before adjusting. Jack and Rose were getting hot and heavy in the back of the car in the cargo bay when he readjusted so his head was laying in my lap. I was a bit surprised when he moved but he didn't even wake from his slumber as he did it. So, I took full advantage of the opportunity to run my fingers through the short locks of his hair. It had been so long the last time I had done this, it had even been longer than my own. Now, it was short but still long enough that my fingers sank through the softness to his scalp.

" _Do you ever think about life outside of the Rangers? What'll be like when we're older?"_

" _Well, yeah. I already know what'll be like."_

" _How so?"_

" _I'll be married to the most beautiful girl in the world. Can't go wrong with that."_

He had always been a charmer. Shy but a sweet talker when it came to me. At one point, he was the most caring person I had in my corner if you didn't count Aisha and Trini. When it came to us though, that was different. My parents were both gone and he was the closest thing to family I had in Angel Grove in my opinion. He was the first person I would want to see in the morning and we would talk on the phone late at night until we fell asleep. He was the whole reason I didn't want to move to Paris when my mother asked me to go with her. I didn't want to risk being away from Tommy. To be 16 and in love. That's the kind of sappy thing that romance writers lived for. From the moment my eyes landed on Tommy, I was certain we were destined to be together. Two soul mates who were destined to meet. That thought never left me, even when he was the evil Green Ranger and was out to kill me. I knew it was still Tommy. That he was the same boy who had stolen my heart the moment I looked at him.

Just how I knew it was the same Tommy who was sleeping in my lap. The same Tommy that still cared for me after all this time and all my shit. The same Tommy that was only going to get hurt again if I told him how much I still loved him. It was all I ever wanted to do but now that he was here, I knew I couldn't. I knew if I told him, he would jump head first into a relationship with me and that's a toxicity that I don't even think the government could survive. He had so much going for him, from being a teacher to a recently retired Ranger. All his options were laying at his feet and none of them looked as miserable as the one that ended him with me. I couldn't be the wife he would want me to be because I wasn't the girlfriend he had when we were younger. I know he had said he wanted to get to know me again but I wasn't sure if I wanted him to know who I was now. There was so much shit wrong with me, I almost wondered in the back of mind if it would be worth returning me to the original sender. Had my life been heading that way if it wasn't for Tommy showing up here? I had never thought about it but I couldn't deny the fact I had always envisioned it being the end game in this equation. He had managed to save me yet again, only he wouldn't realize from what.

Stroking his hair, I gazed down at his face. There was a little scar over his right eyebrow from where he had gotten into a bad scrap with a monster. Always the bravest one of the group, him and Jason had decided to face the thing on their own while we handled putties or something. I thought of Jason and what he was doing. I hadn't spoken to him in so long. He must hate me. He probably guards the highway of Angel Grove, waiting for me to return so he can rip me a new one for the shit I did to him and Trini. I could never go back. Facing Jason would mean I would need to own up for what I did and that just wasn't something I think I will ever be ready for. Conquering the hurdle of Tommy was one thing but Jason and Trini's memory was something of it's own that scared me to death.

As crazy as it may sound, I wish I could go back to being a Power Ranger. Back in the early days when Tommy had his green powers and Jason, Trini and Zach were on the team. It was the best time of my life and usually when I'm drunk, that's the place I like to go to. The six of us against whatever shitty thing Rita had to throw at us. The six of us together without things like bills, alcoholism or death to bring us down. Though we were busy superheroes, we were happy.

And happy was all I wanted to be.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying things so far. I know it seems like Kim and Tommy are a bit...TOO happy right now but I can reassure you that it will not be the case much longer. Because if Kim is Kim, we know she's going to find a way to fuck things up. I don't think glassware will be involved but you never know!

Thank you to all of you who are continuing to R&R each chapter. It means the world to me! Our baby is due next Saturday so fingers crossed I can squeeze as much into this before our little bundle of joy comes into the world. FYI he'll be rocking a Dragonzord onesie in no time ;D

Disclaimer: I own nothing Power Ranger related.

* * *

 ** _17._**

The next week seemed to pass in a blur. A very quick but stretched out blur that left me feeling exhausted each day. I went to group therapy on Monday, coming home to find Tommy replacing the door knob on my front door. Joey came over that night as well, asking about how everything was going and when I thought I would be ready to come back to the bar to do the bookkeeping. He also dropped off two pay checks for me a took my bills for the rehab with him when he left, making me feel guilty. I hated the fact my boss was footing the cost for all of this when it was still something I thought I could handle on my own. I didn't protest though because I knew there was no point in it. I was never going to win that argument in any regard.

Tuesday, I was supposed to meet with Dr. McAvoy for our one on one session but she had to reschedule me for the following week due to a family emergency. I opted to attend another group session that day anyone, totaling four for the whole week. I was getting to know everyone a lot better now, Pete and Su Li taking it upon themselves to make sure I felt at home. I noticed Mark was no longer in our group and Sam told me that he had slipped up and failed a piss test, resulting in him having to report back to jail as a probation violation. I wished it didn't make me happy to hear that but it did. The little smug asshole deserved it and I hoped he finally learned his lesson now. I'm going to guess not but it was a least a thought that made me feel better about hating the guy so much. I learned through group as well that Tina had suffered a relapse but was expected to be back the following week. It amazed me how quickly those types of things happened. She seemed fine at our last meeting but then she went home and slipped up. I wasn't exactly sure if she had gone back to the pills or the cutting but I found myself feeling worried for the girl I had only just met.

Wednesday, I was surprised by a visit from Hank and Al. They stopped by to bring me some food from the bar that Al knew I was probably dying for. I hugged him tightly when I saw cheese fries and chicken wings in Styrofoam containers in the bags. They visited a while and I tried my best to get some information about the bar from them. Becky had come back early from maternity leave to cover for me and Joey hadn't found a replacement to sing at night yet. That made me feel a bit better, knowing my job was still there waiting for me like he had said. How long would it be though? And would I ever be able to go back there without thinking about drinking? The thought scared me and I knew I would need to stay as far away from there as I could for as long as I could manage. I asked Hank and Al to tell everyone I said hello as they left and I noticed that Hank seemed to look over to Maria's house, looking for her. It had been a couple days since I had spoken to her as well, the summer heat keeping her inside due to her asthma. He hugged me good-bye and said he was going to check in on her before leaving. I didn't see him leave her house until late that night, something that made me smile as I watched behind my bedroom curtain.

By Thursday afternoon, I noticed I was feeling the effects of withdrawal on and off. Sometimes, my stomach would feel off, enough to make me throw up. Others, I was cranky and irritable. And sadly, Tommy was my favorite person to take it out on. I tried my best not to but it didn't help that he was always around now. I couldn't leave the house without him and when we were home, my small house made it seem like we were always on top of each other. I know he did his best to stay out of my way, opting to sit on the porch or find something to fix around the house. I always felt awful after yelling at him and he would say that it wasn't a big deal. I wished he wouldn't do that. I wanted him to tell me that it was a big deal and that I needed to cut my shit out but he never did. He took it in stride and never complained once, something I found fascinating and annoying in the same breath. Still, he was here and was continuing to be the biggest support I had right now, Joey coming in a very close second.

When Friday rolled around, I found myself flipping through those same four channels on the television. Boredom was settled in me, ready to explode. Sighing, I tossed the remote on the couch next to me and stood. Tommy was outside, doing something with his truck. This entire time, I had figured it was a rental truck but he revealed to me over the week that it was his uncle's. Tommy had flown from Angel Grove to Georgia where his uncle was living now. He let Tommy borrow his truck to head down here so he would have a vehicle to drive during his time trying to find me. On our way home for therapy yesterday, it started to make a weird noise and Tommy said something about some kind of belt when he pulled into the driveway. I found him under the hood as I stepped out the front door, a dirty rag hanging off the truck next to him.

"Hey." I said, walking down the steps. It was hot out today, something that wasn't unusually for the middle of July. Tommy stood up when he heard my voice and I saw he had dirt and muck caked on his face, black smeared on his cheek. He grabbed the rag and wiped his hands clear of the grease.

"Hey. What's up?" He asked.

"I'm bored. Is the truck almost done?" He shrugged, nodding.

"For the most part. I just have to tighten a few bolts but she'll be good to go. What do you wanna do?"

"I think I want to try going to the Glenmore. I thought maybe we could have dinner and see everyone." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You sure about this? You don't think it's too soon?" Alright. I could see where he was coming from. The last place an alcoholic should be is a bar. But what other choice did I have?

"I think I'm sure." I replied, leaning against the truck so I was facing the house. "I need to do it at some point and Joey can't keep paying me for nothing. We can go, sit as far away from the bar as we can, and have some horrible for us bar food." I peeked over my shoulder at him. "What do you think?"

"If you think you're up for it, sure. But if you start feeling overwhelmed or want to leave, just me know and we're out of there. Deal?" He held out his hand for me to shake.

"Deal but I'm not shaking your hand until you take a shower." I said, smirking at him.

"Oh? Afraid of a little dirt, Miss Pink?" He asked, stepping towards me. I stepped back, holding me hands up.

"Don't do it, Tommy." I said, pointing a finger at him. "I'm warning you." We rounded the back of the truck, coming up the other side of it.

"Or what?" He smiled widely at me before sprinting towards me. I squealed, turning and running away. I could hear the gravel under his feet as he quickly closed the gap between us. In a last ditch effort, I spotted the hose sitting on the side of the house that he had used to wash his truck. I grabbed the nose and squeezed. Water jetted out of it and I wiped it around to point at him. He skidded to a stop, a face full of water throwing him of guard. "That's cheating!" He called, holding his handed up to block it. I squirted him some more, soaking his shirt and hair with water.

"I'm helping you wash up!" I called over the water. He stepped back until he was behind the truck, block the stream. I released the trigger, tossing the hose to the ground. He was soppy wet now, water dripping off him as he came around the truck again.

"Gee thanks." He said, shaking his head. His hair flopped in front of his eyes and he combed it back with his fingers. "Can we shake now?"

"Sure." I giggled, holding out my hand. He took it in his but surprised me by pulling me in for a hug. His wet t-shirt smacked against me and I shrieked, trying to pull out of his grasps.

"What's the matter? Don't want to get wet, Kim?" He laughed, pulling me tighter against him.

"Let me go!" I squealed, laughter mixing in with my cries. I managed to pry myself loose of his grip but not before the entire back of my shirt was soaked. "You jerk!" I exclaimed, looking at my back end.

"I was just returning the favor." He shrugged, pulling his wet t-shirt off his frame. Balling it up, he tossed it at me. I caught it, the fabric feeling like it weighed a ton now that it was wet. "Let me finish up with the truck and I'll be in to get ready."

"Alright. I'm going to jump in the shower. No shady stuff while I'm in there either. I do have a Taser somewhere in this house I'm not afraid to use on you." He laughed, shaking his head as I jogged up the steps. I took a few seconds to admire his lean but muscular torso as he leaned over the engine of his truck. Though we had fucked we he first came, this was the first time I had seen him shirtless since right before I left Angel Grove. It was still a glorious sight to behold and I was doing my best to burn it to memory.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." He called out from under the hood. An instant blush filled my cheeks and I scoffed as I headed back into the house to get ready.

It only took an hour for Tommy to finish the truck and to take a shower after I was done. I found myself feeling nervous as I pulled on a pair of nicer looking dark blue jeans and a white flowy tank top. It had been a long time since I had actually gone out for a night somewhere, not counting the nights at the bar. Though, I would be going to the same place. This time, I wouldn't be working and I would be going with Tommy. I almost thought about stressing the fact that this was not a date to him but I thought against it. He had caught me molesting him with my eyes. It might be best to avoid speaking of anything about that kind of stuff until that blew over. Instead, I waited on the couch for him as he finished up on the bathroom. I heard the door open and the smell of his aftershave gently floated through the air as he headed up the hall towards the living room.

"Thanks for leaving me some hot water." He stated, plowing a black cotton polo shirt over his head. It went well with his khaki cargo shorts and black tennis shoes that were on his feet. If I didn't know any better, you would think he would fit it with the older college kid crowd around here. He had also gelled his hair slightly, it combed to the right side of his scalp.

"You're welcome. Though, with the temperature outside, a cool shower felt great." I said, standing from the couch.

"This is nothing. It's was a lot warmer on Phaedos, remember? And the humidity was almost enough to kill someone. I still think that's what got those guys on the beach." He replied, grabbing his keys from the table.

"Right. Nothing to do with the giant dinosaur skeletons running around the place." I retorted. Shrugging, he headed to the door and pulled it open.

"Minor detail. After you."

I stepped passed him, grabbing my purse on the way out the door. Soon, we were in the truck and heading down the familiar path that led to the Glenmore. My nerves were on edge and I felt my temperature climb ten degrees as we rounded the last block towards it. I have no clue why I thought this would be a good idea. It had sounded great in my head at the time but now as we were closing in, I wanted nothing more than for Tommy to turn around and speed back home. I didn't ask him to though. Instead, I sat quietly and listened to the radio as the silent panic filled my chest. Making a left hand turn, he was heading down the street and the parking lot came into view. It was full of cars, the usual Friday dinner crowd filling up the place. He pulled into one of the last available parking spots by the back park of the lot and put the truck in park. He didn't kill the engine though before turning in his seat to face me.

"You don't have to do this if you aren't ready yet." He said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head.

"No. I said I was going to do this and I am." I replied. Taking a deep breath, I undid the seat belt and let it slid back into the slot. He turned the ignition off, removing his safety belt as well. "Just tell me before we go in there that this isn't the dumbest idea I've ever had."

"What?" He asked.

"I just need to hear that, that's all. Even if it's a lie." I replied, looking over at him. He was quiet for a moment before nodding.

"This isn't the dumbest idea you've ever had." He stated, locking his eyes with me. I felt something in my chest quiver as I realized what he must be thinking right now. I knew what he thought my dumbest idea was but I didn't have the mental stability to even go through that shit show right now. I shoved that idea to the back of my mind for a rainy day.

"Okay. Let's do this." I popped open the door and climbed out, putting my purse on my shoulder. Our doors closed at the same time and Tommy came around the back of the truck as I took three steps forward. The Glenmore looked the same as the last time I had been here, though I was now on my two feet rather than being carted away by an ambulance. I winced at the thought, wishing my invention had come before that. Sighing, I started walking towards the building. Tommy was next to me, his long steps equaling to three of mine as we walked together. He pulled the door open for me and I slipped inside, the loud noise of the bar consuming me as I did.

It sure was bustling here. It seemed like every table was filled with people who were either eating or waiting for their food. The bar was filled as well, people sitting in all the stools. Behind the bar, I saw Becky and Sandra filling drink orders. They were talking to one another, a smile on Sandra's facing telling me Becky had said something funny or wise. Paul sat in his usual chair in front of the taps, a book in hand that he had his nose buried in. Hank was on the other side of the room, bussing tables and serving drinks to those who needed them. Joey emerged from the kitchen, a tray of food in hand as he walked towards the tables. As he set down the remaining order of fries from the tray, he spotted us and smiled widely.

"Well look at what we've got here!" He said loudly, causing Sandra and Becky to glance in our direction to. Joey walked over quickly and hugged me tightly, practically lifting me off the ground. "What are you doing here?"

"Girl's gotta eat sometime." I replied as he let me go. "I hear this place is the best in town."

"So I've heard." Sandra skirted out from behind the bar and engulfed me in a hug as well. It had been awhile since I had seen her last and she looked damn near ready to cry when she pulled back.

"You look great!" She exclaimed, looking me over. "Have they been treating you alright over there? Cause if not, I know where the shot gun is hidden here." I laughed.

"No. The program is good. Honestly. How are things here?"

"Busy. I'll have to catch up with you when it starts dying down. Why don't you take a seat over in one of the booths by the stage?" She asked, pointing to the left side of the room. I saw there was an empty booth that wasn't anywhere near the bar.

"Sure. Thanks." She patted my arm before jogging back over to the bar. I waved at Becky who returned the gesture as she poured a beer. Joey grabbed two menus from the hostess stand by the door and followed behind Tommy and I as we headed towards the booth. I slid into the side that faced away from the bar and Tommy sat across. Joey set the menus on the table and pulled a pad of paper from the black apron around his waist.

"And what can I get you fine folks to drinks this evening? May I recommend our soda spray system featuring twelve different flavors of soda pop as well as Miami's best tap water. Each is served over a bed of ice." He stated, winking at me. I rolled my eyes, not bothering to look at the menu.

"I'll take a vodka on the rocks." I said. Both of them gaped at me before sharing a glance. "It was a joke! Jeez. Lighten up, guys. I'll take ice water." Tommy let out a sigh of relief and Joey put his hands on his hips.

"I swear you'll send me to an early grave yet. What about you, Tommy? Your usual?" Tommy nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Alright. I'll be back in a jiffy." He jotted something down before heading back towards the bar. I raised an eyebrow at him, confused.

"You come here enough to have a usual order? Did I miss something?" I asked. Tommy shrugged, opening up his menu.

"I come here sometimes when you're at therapy or when I was staying at the hotel. It's a Coke. Nothing special." He replied. Joey returned a couple minutes later with our drinks, setting them down on the table top with two straws.

"Alright. We ready to order or do we need a minutes?" He asked.

"I'm set." Tommy replied, closing his menu. "Are you?"

"Al already has her order going." Joey said, eyeing me. "She gets the same thing every time she's here."

"And you asked me about my usual." Tommy said, shaking his head. "I'll take a rib-eye sandwich and fries, please."

"Certainly. It'll be up shortly!" Joey wrote the order down and then scooped up the menus in his hands. He trotted off towards the bar area and the kitchen again, leaving Tommy and me.

"How did you end up working here?" Tommy asked, opening his straw and dropping it into his soda. Bubbles ran up the side of the glass for the carbonation.

"My friends and I would come here when I was training for the Pan Global. We bought this really convincing fake IDs and would get in to watch the bands that would be playing. I didn't really drink then but my friends did. They had a karaoke night here one day and they convinced me to get up and sing. Joey offered me a chance to sing here if I ever wanted to. When the Olympics fell through, it was the only other option I could think of at the time. He didn't pay me much at first but it turned into more of a jack of all trades position on top of singing after awhile." I explained. "I ended up doing a bit of everything though and Joey kept me on fulltime."

"Have you tried working on a singing career?" He asked. I chuckled, shaking my head.

"No. I'm not delusional, Tommy. I mean, yeah, it pays the bills right now but the chances of making it big as a singer are slim to none. I don't think I have it in me for that kind of rejection."

"You never know until you try. You're talented. You were in high school and you're even more talented now. I think it would be worth a shot. And Zach has some ties with some music producers. That could be a way to do it." I shrugged my shoulders, taking a sip of my water.

"I'm content just staying here and singing." I replied. "Less pressure that way, I guess."

"Do you think you'll be able to handle working here?"

"Not yet but I know the time will come when I'll be able to. It's going to take time, like they keep telling me, but I think I can manage it someday." I crinkled the straw wrapped in between my fingers. "I know it's not the most ideal work place for someone like me but it's the only place I've ever worked and I don't want to leave it yet."

"I understand. You just have to do what you need to do in order to get there. And I know that Joey and the rest of your friends here will be willing to help you every step of the way. You've really got something special here. Most people don't have friends like this at work. I don't even think I could name three other teachers I would hang out with outside of school, let alone be this close to." He said, sitting back on his side of the booth.

"Being a teacher is pretty cool though. And you have students that you're close to. How does it feel to be a Mr. Oliver?" I asked. He smiled, putting his hands on the table.

"It's actually Dr. Oliver. And I am not too keen on them calling me that but it's the school's policy. It makes me feel like I should be teaching at a stuffy prestigious college rather than a high school that is having budget issues. It is what it is though. The students are mostly great, especially the kids I got to work with on the team and I like my job."

The noise around the bar was beginning to die down as people finished their dinners and left. Our food came shortly after that and we ate, talking about his work and the parties here at the Glenmore. Instead of feeling like I was going to fail just by being in this building, I felt a sense of normalcy as I talked with Tommy. It felt like we were just two old friends, out for dinner without a care in the world. It was a great feeling and I didn't even think twice about the bar or the alcohol that was under the lights behind it. The strongest surge of confidence came over me as we finished eating. I had done it. I had come to the bar, ate an entire meal and didn't have a single drop of alcohol. If that wasn't shy of a miracle, I will cry bullshit.

"That was good." Tommy said, pushing his empty plate away. I nodded, scrapping the remains of my cheese fries into the container Joey had brought over to me so I could take the leftovers home. "I think you're right about the best food in town."

"Trust me. I know good bar food when I see it." I grabbed my purse and slid out of the booth. "I have to use the bathroom and then we can go."

"Alright. I'll settle the bill then." I tossed a twenty down on the table.

"Don't even think about it." I replied before walking towards the bathroom. I passed the men's room and a glint of silver caught my eye. Looking up, I saw it was the lock that was on the storage room. Only, it wasn't locked. The lock itself was closed but who ever had gone in there had forgotten to put the latch over it first. I touched the door knob and the door opened slightly, the shelves filled with liquor appearing.

 _No_ , I thought. _Just turn around and leave_. I've been doing so well and this would just make me going three steps backwards on the progress I was making. In the same breath though, I was doing really well. Wasn't that a good enough reason to celebrate? And the withdrawal symptoms had finally begun to fade away. Maybe I would be able to handle a drink without it causing as much damage as before. Glancing around, I reached in a grabbed a smaller bottle of vodka. I shoved it into my purse quickly before entering the bathroom. Scooting into the stall, I sat on the toilet and pulled the bottle out. Gazing down at it, I bit my lip. It was a fifth of vodka. It wouldn't be enough to hurt anything, right? And if I didn't chug it, I wouldn't get drunk but could still enjoy the affects of being drunk. Nodding, I unscrewed the cap and took three swigs. It burned the back of my throat, my entire body shivering as it went down. I put the lid back on and put it back in my purse. I also found a piece of gum, unwrapping it and putting it in my mouth before I left the bathroom.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: Here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy! :)**_

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 _ **18.**_

When we got home, I excused myself to my room where I drank more of the vodka. I did my best to not drink too much of it, not wanting to go overboard and not wanting to run out too quickly. I sealed it back up and tucked it under my mattress before changing in pajama pants and a tank top. I also stopped in the bathroom to brush my teeth before returning to the living room. The rest of the night, I spent watching television with Tommy and sneaking off to my room to drink what I could out of sight. When I told him I was going to bed, I indulged myself with the rest of the bottle. That satisfying dizzy feel came over me as I laid in bed, the now empty bottle laying next to me. This was it. This was the best part about drinking. I didn't think any bad thoughts and my body felt like it was floating on a light, fizzy cloud high above the ground. Nothing bad could touch me up here and I willed myself to stay here as long as I could.

The next morning, I woke up with just a slight headache and thankfully no need to vomit. I was out of the vodka though and the thought of withdrawal made me panic. There was no way in Hell I was going to go through that again. That was something I swore I wouldn't fucking do again. I would have to ease myself off the alcohol and find away to get more to do that with. Picking up my phone, I flipped through my contacts until I came across Marcus and Maria's number. I hit the green connect button and brought it to my ear. Grabbing my comforter, I pulled it over my head in hopes that Tommy wouldn't be able to hear my conversation.

"Hello?" Marcus's voice said as he answered.

"Marcus! Hey, it's Kimberly." I said, trying to sound cheerful. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" He asked. In the background, I heard the TV and Maria talking.

"Good. Actually, I've been better. I was wondering if you could do me a favor. I'll pay you."

"Alright." He replied. "What is it?"

"I need you to pick up somethings for me at the store. I'll call the order in and you'll just have to grab them for me. You'll need your cousin to go with you though or someone who is older than 21." I added.

"Sure thing. Want me to drop them off to you?"

"Actually, could you leave it on the side of my house? Only because I don't think I'll be home and I don't want to chance anyone walking off with it. I'll leave money for you in my mailbox."

"Okay. Hope you're feeling better, Miss Kimberly. My madre said you were sick."

"I am. Thank you, Marcus. I appreciate this." I hung up the phone and tossed the blanket off me. I grabbed my purse from the bedside table and took fifty dollars out of the middle part. Next, I called the corner store around the block and placed my usually order of cheap vodka to Admir, the owner. I told him that Marcus's cousin, Raul, would be picking it up for me. He didn't ask any other questions and said it'd be ready in an hour. I hung up and tossed my phone in my purse. Pulling my hair back in a pony tail, I stood up from my bed and walked out into the hallway. I heard Tommy in the bathroom and I made quick work of heading to the front door. Pulling it open, I opened my mailbox and saw that the mail had already come. I grabbed the junk mail that was in there and dropped the money in there in it's place. I ducked back inside, shutting the door. Tommy emerged from the hallway then, brushing the sleep from his eyes as he did.

"Morning. How'd you sleep?" He asked, waving at me. I shrugged, pretending to look through the junk mail that was in my hand.

"Fine. You?" I replied.

"I had some weird dreams about that purse monster we fought way back then. It was the strangest the thing." He said, shaking his head. "Anyway, what is the plan for the day?"

"I was kind of hoping I could convince you to head to Lowe's to pick up some soil. I want to replant some of the dead flowers out front." I lied.

"I think I can manage that. How many bags do you think you'll need?"

"Two or three. Doesn't have to be too much. There's not a lot out there. But I think it'll help me keep my mind off things. You know what they say, staying busy keeps you out of trouble." I was spouting out shit and I knew he was going to see right through it. I waited with my nerves on edge for him to call me out on it but instead, he nodded and smiled.

"That sounds like a great idea. Let me get dressed quick and I'll run over there. Need anything else while I'm there? Gardening tools? Gloves?" He walked over to his duffel bag where he was keeping his clothes and rooted around in it for a minute before pulling out jeans and a white t-shirt.

"No. I'm set. Just the soil. Let me get you some money." I turned to head to my room.

"Kim?" He called and I stopped, a cold sweat forming on my brow. Holding my breath, I turned over my shoulder to look at him. "I'm proud of you. You are doing really good at this and you're committing to this program. I gotta admit that I wasn't sure how well you were going to do in the beginning but I think you are going to be so successful. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"It's alright." I said, a layer of guilt forming in the pit of my stomach.

"No, it's not. You said you were going to beat this and you are." He stood up straight and walked towards me. "It was stupid of me to think you wouldn't be able to." Reaching towards me, he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug and that layer grew thicker in my stomach.

"Let me get you that money." I said when he finally let me go. I turned and headed towards my bedroom. I felt tears prick the back of my eyes but I shoved them away. Don't feel guilty. You have this under control, my mind told me. I'm not blacked out drunk and I didn't wake up feeling like death this morning. People drink on Friday nights all the time without much issue. I could be that kind of person too. I haven't done anything wrong yet. Tommy had every reason to be proud of me. It's not like I dropped out of program and hit the sauce again. I was still going and maintaining this level of alcohol use.

I retrieved some money from my room and headed back to the living room as Tommy came from the bathroom again. I gave it to him, telling him to grab as many pink flowers they had in the little packets at the store. He smiled at that before heading out the door. I gave it a good ten minute window before walking on to the front porch. Rounding the side of the house, I saw a cardboard box tucked in the bushes under my bedroom window. There were black grocery bags inside of it and I made quick work of picking up the box and hauling it inside of the house. Fishing through the bags, I found two of them that had bottles of vodka inside. I darted into the bedroom with them, hiding them at the bottom of my closet. I tucked them neatly inside of a pair of knee high boots, the bottles fitting perfectly in them. Going back to the kitchen, I unloaded the other unnecessary stuff I ordered and tucked the box under the sink. Checking out the window, I made sure Tommy was no where to be found before retreating back to my bedroom.

Tommy was gone an hour. In that time, I managed to drink half of one bottle. I went slowly though, fearful of being too shitfaced when he came home that he'd know right away. I brushed my teeth and put together some lunch quick to throw off the fact I was hiding it. He unloaded the soil for me in the front yard and together, we ate the sandwiches I had made. If he had any clue, he didn't show it as we chatted about gardening and the float for the flower parade I had made in the tenth grade. My fear ebbed down as we talked, me realizing that I was getting away with this. I wasn't drunk but I had enough of a buzz going to make me feel in a good mood.

Tommy helped me pull out all the weeds from the beds out front and we poured the new soil in. I dug holes and placed the seeds in from the small packets. He had decided on light pink flowers and bright yellow daffodils according to the packaging. Dropping them in, I covered them up with some soil and watered them. It was going well, the two of us working together and doing an activity that I had actually forgotten I enjoyed. Gardening was a hobby I took up with my mother. We used to spend hours on Saturday mornings pruning and planting in her garden behind our house in Angel Grove. It was one of her most prized things and the main reason she had begged my father to buy the house in the first place. I had always assumed it was something I did because it was something I got to do with her but in high school, I found that I still enjoyed it. I even did the gardening for Aisha's mother and grandmother. It was easy, kept your hands busy and didn't involve a lot of brain work. It was just my kind of thing that seemed impossible to fuck up.

I excused myself to clean up and stole a water bottle from the kitchen before heading to my bedroom. I changed out of my dirty clothes and poured vodka into the bottle. The tipsy feeling was coming down now and I wanted to feel more of it. I eyed the bottle and then my door, wondering if I was tempting fate by bringing it out into the living room with Tommy there. He had said something about cooking dinner before coming inside and I could hear pots and pans banging around out there. I ripped off the label on the bottle to ensure I would know it was this one and headed out into the kitchen. Tommy was standing in front of the stove, a pot of boiling water on it. The counter next to the stove was filled with various items from spaghetti sauces to a package of raw hamburger. There was also a cake pan and a box of lasagna noodles perched on the edge.

"How does a person only own four pans?" He asked, looking at me over his shoulder. I shrugged.

"There's only one of me. What do you want? It's not like a cook for an army every night." I answered, sitting on the couch so I could face him. "Don't tell me you have a full gourmet kitchen at your disposal back home."

"Well, no. But I do have a complete set of pans. My mother got it for me as a housewarming gift. Pretty sure I've used two of them." He smirked, dumping the lasagna noodles into the water after ripping the box open. "Did you enjoy putting the garden in?"

"I did. Thank you for helping me out, Tommy. I think it'll look beautiful once they bloom. I mean, it's pretty late in the season but this is Florida." I took a swig from my bottle, ignoring the burn. "So, what are your plans? I know you said something about staying here until school starts again. Is that true?"

"Yeah. I can stay until the week school starts back up. I'll just need a couple days to get settled before the first day. Why? Do you want me out of your hair?" He questioned. I shook my head, watching him put another pot on the stove and pour the spaghetti sauce into it with some garlic and seasonings.

"No. I just know you said something about Aisha and Rocky's wedding. I figured you would want to be there for that at least. You did say it was a big deal." I replied.

"It is a big deal but they'll understand. They know why I came down here and I told them yesterday I wasn't sure if I would be coming or not. I can always catch up with them once I get home."

"I don't want to keep you from things. You can go back for the wedding. I think I can manage a week without you. You could always come right back." Tommy shook his head, draining the noodles in the sink and leaving them in the strainer. He placed the frying pan on the heating coil and turned the dial to medium heat.

"I can't afford to go back and forth like that in such a small time window. Honestly, it's fine. I like spending time with you and being here. And I don't have to dress up in a stuffy tuxedo for an entire day. Sounds like a win enough for me." I heard a loud sizzle as he plopped in the hamburger meat from the container into the hot pan.

"I'm glad they're getting married. The two of them belong together. Rocky can be a handful and I think Aisha is the only person who can tackle that job." I said, leaning back against the arm of the couch. "Who else is going?"

"From what I heard, I believe they said is was going to be Adam since he's the best man, Billy, our friend Justin from the Turbo team, Aisha's cousin Tanya, Zach and Jason." Tommy replied. "Though, I'm not quite sure if Jason will go. When I talked to him the other day, he didn't sound too keen on it. I also told him I was going to try and convince you to call him by the way." He added, glancing over his shoulder.

"What?" I asked, fear prickling at the back of my skull.

"He wants to talk to you but I told him you needed time and you would call him when you were ready. He has the patience of a toddler sometimes though." Jason wanted to talk to me? Probably to bitch me out and tell me to go to Hell. That's what I would do if I was in his shoes. I abandoned him when he needed me most. There's no wonder why he sent Tommy to find me instead of coming himself. I didn't blame him for not wanting to see my face. I wouldn't want to either.

"I'll try calling him in a few days." I said, knowing full well that I would never be able to do that. I know it sounded like the easiest task ever. Calling your best friend? That's something people do every day. This was different though. So much more different and it was all because of me.

"No rush. It's whenever you're ready." He said, turning the stove off. In the cake pan, he began to assemble the lasagna. I wasn't quite sure what army he thought he was feeding. There was only two of us and he was making enough to feed like six people. I didn't say anything though as he piled everything in. He worked with such concentration that it was almost relaxing watching him. Each movement seemed planned out, much like a kata. It suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't seen him practice his martial arts at all since he arrived her in Miami. Had he given it up when the rangers ended this time around? I didn't see that one happening. Maybe he was doing it when I wasn't looking. I amused myself with the mental image of him trying to do graceful karate moves while I had my back turned to him. I smiled, taking a sip of my bottle. "What are you laughing about over there?" He asked.

"Oh nothing. Just picturing something. Are you still doing your martial arts now?" I answered. He popped the lasagna into the oven and wiped his hands on a towel.

"Yeah. I practice every other day and try to work out a little each day. What made you think of that?" Walking over, he sat on the couch next to me.

"I haven't seen you practice since you got here. Are you practicing ninja skills on me or something?" He chuckled, shaking his head.

"No. I've been doing them at night before going to bed. It helps me sleep sometimes. I try to do it quietly to not wake you up. Why? Have you heard me or something?" I shook my head.

"No. I was just thinking about when you used to practice your kata down by the pond. I loved watching you. I've never seen someone move so gracefully like that before besides the girls on the gymnastics team."

"That still is my favorite place to practice. Whenever I'm in town, I'll head over there in that spot to get some time in. It's peaceful and full of good memories. Helps put my head in a good place for it." I felt a hot blush fill my cheeks as I wondered if the memories he was referring to was the one of our first kiss. It had taken place at that spot. Jesus, I was getting mushy. Was it being here with him or the alcohol? Probably both, stupid. I took a long sip out of my water bottle and screwed the cap back on slowly.

"I don't want to be nosy but…why didn't things work out with Kat?" I asked, softly. "Everyone seemed to think that the two of you were hitting it off great." He shrugged, bringing his left ankle up to rest on his right knee. He gripped his foot with his left hand as he leaned back into the loveseat.

"I think that's why. Everyone thought we should be together because she was the one who replaced you. They all thought it just fit together nicely, I guess. Kat's a nice person and all but we just didn't have that chemistry there. She's more of a good friend than anything else. She knows that too and agrees with me. She's actually seeing someone else now. She splits her time between here and London, travelling with her dancing company I think. I'm not too sure. We don't keep in contact much except emails and stuff like that." He picked at his sock. "There hasn't been anyone else really after her either if that was going to be your next question."

"How did you know?" I asked, not looking at him.

"Cause that's usually where that conversation leads with everyone. What about you then? Have you been with anyone since we broke up?" Well, fuck. That's a loaded question and a half.

"Nothing too serious." I said quickly. "There were dates and stuff like that but nothing stuck. Plus with everything going on, it's not like I have much free time to try dating anyone. Sometimes, I feel like I'm too old to actually try dating." He laughed at that, setting his head back against the cushion.

"Old? C'mon, Kim. You're not old."

"I feel it though. Soon, I'll be able to tell the weather just by how much my knee hurts that day. That's gotta be some glory in that kind of life, right?" I laid my head on the back of the couch. "Honestly, my love life it just another part of my life that alcohol seemed to get a control on. I did some really horrible stuff to some guys who didn't deserve it and I didn't respect myself either. It's not something I'm proud of or want to go into but I think Joey kinda told you a bit about it when you first arrived."

"Somewhat. It's okay. People have pasts. Mistakes live in the past and we learn from them. That's the point of making them." He replied softly. "Like I said, you can't keep letting the things you've done stand in the way of your future. I know it can seem bleak at times but this isn't the end for you. I see a different kind of end game."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" I murmured.

"I always pictured you doing the whole gymnastics thing, going to school, becoming a teacher or something where you get to teach music. That was before though. Now, I can see you becoming a singer. Even if it's just at little joints across the country but still, a singer." I scoffed. "What?"

"That's silly. It sounds nice but I don't see that ever becoming my destiny."

"Well, that's the funny thing about destinies, I suppose. You never know what yours is until it's sitting right in front of you."


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: Kimmy just seems to be her own worst enemy, am I right? Thank you all for continuing to hang in there and reviewing. We are getting into the second half of this fic and it's shaping into something I am enjoying a lot. I hope you all are as well. Please remember to R &R!**_

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 _ **19.**_

Tommy's dinner was delicious, though I suppose anything would have been in the state I was by the time it was finished cooking. I could feel myself almost rock back and forth as we ate and he eyed me a couple times I noticed. I decided it was a good time to call it a night and told him I was feeling tired from all the work we did in the garden. I headed back to my bedroom where I drank myself into a delirium until I fell asleep. The next morning, I woke up feeling like a bus had run me over. I barely had time to make it to the bathroom before the contents of my stomach exploded into the bowl. I did my best to vomit quietly and to my relief, I saw Tommy was still asleep on his air mattress was I poked my head into the living room. I cracked into a new bottle of booze, washing the vomit taste away before cleaning the bathroom to hide any evidence of my hangover.

I spent the rest of the day with tommy, chilling on the couch and watching movies on television. He asked me if I felt alright and I lied, saying it was Aunt Flow causing me some issues. He bought it, asking if I needed him to run to the store to get anything like tampons or pads. Why on Earth did God have to send me the perfect man when I was feeling like the biggest pile of dog shit on a hot Miami sidewalk? I told him no and he surprised me with some homemade cheese fries. They made my stomach want to die but I ate about half of them to not make him feel bad. If I didn't eat them, I knew he would think something was up more than me having my period and I couldn't chance that. Though, the indigestion I had for four hours after that was enough karma in my book. We ate left over lasagna for dinner before I took a shower and hid in my room where I finished the remaining bottle and a half of alcohol.

My appointment for my one on one session with Dr. McAvoy was the next day. It took a great deal to drag myself out of bed before Tommy and to make myself look human like before he saw me. I wasn't as hungover as the previous day but I still felt like death. I showered again, putting on some makeup before emerging from the bathroom. Tommy was sitting on the couch, lacing up his sneakers. He looked exhausted, I noticed, with black bags under his eyes.

"Hey. Are you okay?" I asked, walking over to the coffee pot. I pressed the on button and it began to brew, the water bubbling as it began to pour through the grounds and the filter into the empty pot below.

"Yeah. Just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. How are you feeling?" He replied, standing. He tossed on a dark green hoodie to go with his black basketball shorts.

"Better. What kept you up last night?"

"Not sure. I kept having this dream and after awhile, I just stopped trying to go back to sleep. How long is your appointment today?" I shrugged.

"About an hour or so. If you want, I can have someone else bring me home so you can get a couple hours of sleep in. It might do you some good. A nice quiet and empty house."

"I don't want to just leave you there. It's fine. I can sleep in the truck." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"No. I will call Hank or Joey. And I'm not changing my mind." Pointing a finger at him, I pulled my cell phone from my purse. Flipping it opened, I searched through my call log until I found Joey's name. Pressing the send button, I heard it dial as I brought it to my ear.

"Well, good morning, Miss Kimberly. How are you doing?" Joey's voice said as he answered, sounding very cheerful.

"Hey, Joey. I'm doing fine. Can you give me a ride home from therapy today?" I asked.

"I sure can. Just give me a call when you're about done and I'll swing by to get you." He replied and I heard shuffling in the background, sounding like paper. He was being very nice. It must mean he didn't know about the booze I had stolen on Friday night. This was looking good for me.

"Thanks. I'll see you then." We bid our farewells before hanging up the phone. Tommy reached over and pulled a coffee cup from the dish strainer. The coffee pot beeped and he poured coffee into the empty mug.

"You didn't have to do that." He muttered, taking a sip.

"Yes, I did. I'll be fine, Tommy." I poured myself a cup of coffee as well, adding sugar and creamer to it. "So, wanna talk about the dream?"

"Not really. We should get going. You don't want to be late." He replied, scooping his keys up off the table. He set his now empty cup of coffee down on the counter and walked towards the door.

On our way there, Tommy kept trying to convince me to let him bring me home but I wouldn't budge on the topic. Other than that, he was quiet. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and saw he was appearing a bit worn down. He had a slight stubble on his chin, his eyes seemed duller, and there was no sign on happiness to be found in any of his features. What the hell kind of dream did he have last night? It must have been something awful if he was that put out by it. As he pulled up to the building, I turned in my seat to undo the seatbelt and looked at him.

"Are you going to be okay? You're worrying me, Tommy." I said. He nodded, not turning to look back at me.

"Yeah. I think a couple of hours will do me some good. I'll see you when you get home, alright?" Hesitating, I nodded and popped open the truck door. I climbed out and turned back to face him.

"Drive safe."

"Yeah. Okay." He replied. I shut the door and he drove away, without as much as a wave. I stood on the sidewalk, watching as his taillights pulled out of the parking lot and towards the highway. Biting my lip, I turned on my heel and started for the front doors. I hoped he was able to get some sleep. Whatever was bothering him was doing a number on his mood. Not that Tommy didn't have more reasons than anyone to be a prick to me, he seemed standoffish almost. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about his behavior. What if he found out about my drinking? That's why he was acting like this. No, I reassured myself. If he knew, he would have driven me right here first thing he found out.

"Morning, Kim!" Pete called as I walked into the front door. I eyed him off in the corner with Su Li and Sam, each other them sporting a cup of coffee from the drive thru place in the plaza next store. I smiled, waving at them as I signed in on the top page of the log book on the desk. Danielle was not here but her computer monitor was on, telling me she was somewhere in the building. I tucked my purse tighter over my shoulder to avoid it from falling off as I wrote. Placing the pen back down, I headed towards the small group.

"Hey, guys. How are you?" I asked, standing next to their table.

"Oh, we can't complain. We're here." Sam replied, smiling up at me. "How was you're weekend?"

"Not long enough." I replied, the three of them nodding in agreement. "How's Tina doing?"

"A lot better." Su Li replied. "I spoke to her last night. She'll be back for group tomorrow. She's really excited to see everyone again. The poor thing. Relapse is so horrible."

"It is. I've been there. It's the worst part about this whole thing." Pete said somberly, shaking his head. "You feel like you've got a hold on this thing until you realize you're half way through a bottle, doing something you swore you wouldn't do again." That hard ball of guilt grew heavier in my stomach as he spoke. "But, she's a good kid and young. She'll bounce back quicker than the rest of us."

"That's good." I said, nodding. "Well, I have to get to my one-on-one. I'll talk to you guys later." Before they could say anything else, I darted away from them and up the hallway towards the doctor's office. I spotted her standing in the hallway outside of his door, speaking to Danielle who spotted me. She pointed towards me and Dr. McAvoy turned, smiling. Both were wearing some type of purple today; Danielle in a light purple summer dress while Dr. McAvoy was wearing a dark purple paint suit under her white lab doctor's coat.

"Hello, Kimberly." Dr. McAvoy. "It's good to see you."

"You too." I said, stopping next to them. "Am I late or something?"

"Nope! Early, actually. Which is good because you are due for another urine catch." My stomach dropped. A piss test? Today? What the fuck.

"Oh. Okay." I replied, sweat quickly forming in my palms.

"Danielle is going to take you to do the sample and then back here so we can get started." Dr. McAvoy said, smiling brightly at me. "I'll see you in a minute."

"Follow me." Danielle said, putting a gentle hand on my arm. She started walking up the hallway towards the area where the labs and the bathroom was. She stopped next to the women's room, a small window in the wall next to it. There was a little gray tray in the window and I spotted a urine sample cup on it. She grabbed the cup and held it out to me. My fingers trembled as I took it, my eyes spotting my name and client ID number on the side of it. "I'll take your things while you're in there." She spoke. I could do nothing but nod, sliding my purse off my shoulder and hanging it to her. My body moved in autopilot as I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

Shit. Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit. Shiiiiiiiiit. My mind was practically screaming the words as I set the collection cup on the small, white porcelain sink that was in here. It matched the toilet, both popping against the bright blue that was painted on the bathroom walls. I paced slightly, my eyes never leaving the cup as I did. What the fuck was I supposed to do? If I gave a sample, the jig was up. There would be traces of alcohol in my piss alright. It hadn't even been eight hours since I finished off that bottle. Hell, if someone were to drink my pee right now, they might just get a buzz. I ran a hand through my hair, feeling tears in the corner of my eyes. If this test came back as positive, would they tell anyone? Would Tommy find out? That was a breach of my private information, right? This was like a medical record. What was that law that said that they couldn't give out that kind of stuff? HIPPO? HYPA? Holy fuck, I wished I could remember.

"Kim?" Danielle called, knocking lightly on the door. "You okay in there?"

"Yeah." I called back. "I'll be done in one minute." I sighed in frustration, scooping the cup up and removing the lid. I yanked my pants and underwear off, sitting on the toilet. I pissed quickly, filling the collection cup to the line before setting it back on the sink. Redressing, I put the lid on the cup and glared at it. Fuck it. There was no way around this. People fuck this stuff up all the time. Maybe the lab would think they mixed mine up with someone else's. That was a good excuse, I guess. Opening the door, I picked up the cup and walked out. Danielle smiled at me and pointed at the tray.

"Just put it right on there and they will take it." She said. I did as she said, putting my cup of lies and mistakes on the tray. Someone grabbed it on the other side and it was gone, my panic growing in my chest. Danielle handed me back my purse and started walking towards the office again. I followed behind her, my arms and legs feeling numb. What have I done? I was doing so well. Sobriety was working for me. Granted I didn't think that it was everything going on here but I was making my friends see that I wasn't a fuck up. But, that's what I truly am. It hasn't even been three weeks since my release from the hospital and I've already relapsed. Maybe Dr. McAvoy was wrong. I just might be her worst patient.

"Have a good session." Danielle said as we stopped outside of Dr. McAvoy's office. She gave me a small smile before walking towards the center room. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the room and headed to the couch. She wasn't in here, I noticed, not seeing her short stature anywhere in the room. I sat on the couch, setting my purse on the floor by my feet. Sweat was thick in my palms and I wiped them on my jeans. I could feel it under my breasts too, the skin sticking together that wasn't under my bra. This was nervousness and panicking. I thought I had felt it before but this was nothing compared to what I assumed it was.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Dr. McAvoy said as she walked into the room. She closed the door behind her and in her hands, I saw an manila folder with my name written on the front. Fuck me.

"It's alright." I replied, tapping my foot on the floor. She walked over and sat in her chair, getting settled. As usual, she grabbed the notepad and a pen from the end table next to her before focusing her eyes on me.

"So, how was the weekend? I apologize for cancelling our other session. My son was sick." She said.

"It's fine. My weekend was okay." I answered, my throat becoming increasingly dry with each word. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Kim, are you alright?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No." I whispered. "I messed up." What the fuck was I doing right now? She was going to find out through the test. Why was I telling her the truth now?

"What do you mean?" She crossed her legs.

"Tommy and I went to the Glenmore for dinner the other night. I thought I could handle it. We had fun and I saw my friends." I stated, not looking at her directly. I took a deep breath, opening my mouth. I went to speak but the words wouldn't form. No, I thought. I couldn't tell her. I couldn't admit out loud what I had done. I can handle this. I didn't need to tell people what had happened. I will not drink anymore. I didn't have anything left at the house to drink and I wouldn't ask Marcus to get me anymore. I don't need to show everyone how much I failed. I just needed to convince myself that I was stronger than this.

"Kimberly? Does this have something to do with you drinking again?" She asked softly. I shifted my eyes from the floor towards her. Where I had expected a look of disappointment, I saw one of caring. Her soft eyes looked at me and she seemed concerned more than upset.

"Yes." I whispered. "The storage room was open and I stole a bottle of vodka. I don't even know why I did it. But I got home and drank it. Then the next day, I had my neighbor sneak me more when Tommy wasn't there. I've been hiding it all weekend." Tears filled my eyes as I spoke, me not entirely sure of where they were coming from or why. "I'm such a fuck up."

"No, you are not." She said, grabbing a tissue from the box next to her and handing it to me. I took it and dabbed my eyes, my mascara coming off in black lines on the tissue. "Relapse is common in the first six months of sobriety. This happens to more than half of all addicts." She stated, giving me a kind smile. "You've got to stop thinking of yourself as someone who can defeat this thing like it's a monster in a scary movie."

"You could say that it's kinda what I'm used to doing." I replied, balling up the tissue in my hand.

"Why do you think you started drinking this weekend? Did something trigger you?" She asked, leaning back in her chair. I shrugged.

"Not that I can think of. There hasn't been much of anything happening. Well, besides Tommy coming to stay with me fulltime until he heads back to California."

"He's living with you now?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Well, no. I mean, he's staying at my house until he has to go back for the school year." I replied. "He's not living there."

"Is he sleeping there?" I nodded. "How does that change things between the two of you?"

"It doesn't." I stated. "We're friends. We made that perfectly clear." She nodded, writing something down.

"Have the two of you discussed your feelings with each other?"

"He told me he still has feelings for me." I whispered, tearing the tissue up in my hands. It gave me something to look at besides her. "But he didn't want to cause any issues between the two of us and my sobriety."

"Did you tell him how you felt?" She asked. I shook my head. Was this woman insane? Clearly, we needed to change positions here. "Why not?"

"What good would it do? He's in California and I'm here. I can't just pick up my life anymore than I can expect him to pick up his. And I know that is what he would try to do. We had our time together and it didn't work out. Plain and simple. Being friends is working for the two of us. He's there for me and I would do anything to help him."

"Does being honest with him scare you?" She questioned.

"Scare me? Why would it scare me? I'm honest with him now. He knows mostly everything."

"So he knows about the drinking?" This woman was starting to get under my skin.

"Well, no. Like I said before, I was hiding it." I replied.

"Why not tell him?"

"Because it would make him upset. He would want to get me help or something and I don't want to make him go through that again. It's fine. I can deal with it." I said, tearing at the tissue more. "Besides, he'll just act like he needs to protect me like usual and I can't deal with that kind of thing right now."

"He tries to protect you?" She asked.

"Yeah. He's been like that since we've met. There's nothing he needs to save me from right now, though. He has to learn to back off a little."

"What if he's trying to protect you from you?" I glanced up at her as she spoke, her eyes not looking as condescending at her comment had been.

"He doesn't need to do that because I'm fine. I've made it this far here in Miami without needing protection from him. I'm sure I can survive this."

"What caused the end of your relationship with him?" Oh, boy. Here we go.

"I was living here and he was there. It just seemed like it wasn't going anywhere else." I lied, adjusting myself on the couch. I was sinking between the two cushions and I wished I could sink in them deep enough to disappear.

"Why are you not telling the whole truth?" She questioned. "I can sense there's something else there."

"It's nothing. I just thought he wanted someone else so I broke up with him." I replied, shrugging.

"Did he?"

"He says not. We talked about it the other day. He said after I broke up with him, they went on two dates but nothing happened. It is what it is. If he still wanted to be with me so bad, he could have reached out to me then. He knew where to find me and get ahold of me. If he had these feelings so bad, why was I here missing him while he was back home with all of our friends, acting like I had broken his heart? I'm sure it wasn't that bad for him." I sighed, wiping my free hand on my jeans again.

"You think he should have come back for you after you broke up with him." Dr. McAvoy stated, staring blankly at me. I shrugged again.

"No. I mean, I guess so." I said.

"So, it's his fault your relationship didn't work out the way you wanted it to?" Her question threw me.

"No. It's both of us." I said, feeling the temperature of my body begin to rise. "I shouldn't have written the letter but he should have tried to fix things when I did. He could have saved our relationship. I wouldn't be living in Florida with a drinking problem then. I could be home, in Angel Grove, being successful or something. I would have been there when Trini…" My voice trailed off.

"Your best friend, Trini. She passed away, right?" She asked. I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest. "What role do you think her death plays in your addiction?"

"I feel guilty." I whispered. "I should have been there when she died. I wasn't though. I was here. She shouldn't have been driving that night. She should have stayed home or something. She never has class that late in the day. She should have been with Jason, not dying on the side of the road."

"Do you blame her for her death?" She asked, softly. I glared at her.

"No! She didn't make the guy drive drunk that night. He made the choice and he hit her. He's the one that killed Trini. How could you ask me that?"

"You seem to hold a lot of resentment towards her and what happened to her that day. Did you get the chance to attend her funeral?"

"I don't have resentment towards her. I couldn't go because they couldn't find coverage at the bar. That's when I started drinking. That's when I stopped talking to everyone back home."

"Why?" She asked, simply. "Why did you stop talking to all your friends?"

"They were home. They got to see her everyday when I couldn't." I whispered. "They were moving on with their lives while I was here. They didn't need me anymore." A feeling of pain washed over me as I said these things. It was true. They all had their own lives, leaving me behind as they moved on.

"Did you try to reach out to any of them?" I shook my head

"No. There was no point. I knew they were better off anyway." I ran a hand through my hair. "Most of them don't even try to call me anymore now. What's the point of being friends then?"

"Kimberly, I think I'm starting to see what the main issue for you is." Dr. McAvoy said, leaning forward. I shifted in my spot to look at her.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"You don't seem to want to take responsibility for any of your own actions. Before, you were blaming the bar and your friends there for letting you drink and get drunk. Then, it was Tommy's fault for your break up. And now, you are blaming your friends for the deteriorating of your friendships. The truth is though, you were the one who was stealing and drinking at your place of employment, you're the one who broke up with Tommy without trying to resolve your issues first and you are the one who cut ties off from your friends. You are also the one who wouldn't permit yourself to go back for Trini's funeral. You had all the chances in the world to go back and fix all of these things but you stopped yourself. The biggest issue you have in your life is you." She said and it felt like a wrecking ball slammed into me as she said it. "I know it sounds harsh but I think it's true. You blame everyone else for everything wrong in your life when it's in fact you causing the problems."

"I didn't cause Trini to die." I said, glaring at her. She shook her head.

"No. Or course not. That was the result of someone making a terrible decision that cost someone their life. Of all things though, you seem to blame yourself for that. Is that why you don't own a car? Because she was killed by a drunk driver?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You have an up-to-date driver's license but from what I can tell, you never drive yourself anywhere and you haven't owned a car since right after the accident. We run reports on these kinds of things for all our patients. Did you stop driving because you were afraid you would cause the same kind of accident that killed your best friend?" Hot tears filled my eyes as I looked at her. Was she right? Is that why I had done it? She was correct about the car. I did have one when Trini died. I bought it after I started working at the Glenmore and got sick of taking a cab back and forth every day. After she died, it started making noises and needed a lot of work. I junked it and put the money aside for the down payment on another one. I just never got around to doing it and I spent the money on alcohol. Had something inside of me been so terrified that I was going to kill someone that I decided to never drive again? I always figured it was just because I knew enough to have someone else drive me and it was easier. Deep down, I had a fear that if a car was available, I wouldn't be able to stop my drunk self from trying to drive. The nightmares of her death had instilled that fear into me. Slowly, it became clearer as I recalled the beginning stages of my drinking.

"I didn't want to steal someone's best friend like someone stole mine." I whispered.

"You have to stop blaming yourself for the things you can't and couldn't control and start taking responsibility for the stuff you can. It's not Tommy, Joey, or your friends faults that you drink. It's not anyone's fault except your own." She said softly, giving me a comforting smile. "This relapse is something that can either make or break you. You'll go through withdrawal all over again and we will need to start from scratch. This isn't the end though. You can get back on your feet and brush it off. But only is you're willing to accept the fact you can't beat this on your own. I know you keep saying you want the help but I need you to understand you can't do it on your own at this point. You need your entire support group – the one here and in California - and you need professional help to make sure you can beat this."

"They'll hate me." I said, a tear slipping down my cheek. "After everything I've done, I can't face them."

"We can get you to the point where you're ready to. It's time to stop wasting the precious time you have on Earth and find the happiness you deserve."

* * *

After my session, I booked another one for that Friday at the gentle but firm advice of Dr. McAvoy. She even hugged me before I left and I stood on wobbly legs out front of the center. The sun was shining brightly and it was warm, a cool breeze coming from the direction of the bay a view miles away from here. I had called Joey inside while Danielle was making my appointment and he said he would be coming. Sure enough, I spotted his truck pulling into the parking lot of the shopping plaza a few minutes later. I could hear music playing as he pulled up along the curb in front of me. As I opened the door, he turned down the easy listening station and I climbed in.

"Hey, kid." He said and I clipped my seat belt in. "How's it going?"

"Joey, I stole from you again." I said, a slight sob coming from me as I said it. "The storage closet wasn't all the way closed the other night and I stole one of the bottles." His face went from smiling to a slight frown. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did it but I needed to tell you."

"Shhh. It's alright." He said, rubbing my arm as I cried. I shook my head.

"No, it's not. You all put your faith in me and I fucked up. You don't deserve to have me stealing from you again. I'm sorry. You're great and I'm a shitty person."

"Kim, stop it. Yeah, you messed up but that's what happens. We're human. We tend to fuck up now and then. The fact you're telling me means a lot to me. I'll just have to make sure we're all double checking that closet whenever you come down." I shook my head.

"I can't go there anymore." I whispered. "I can't be around that place. It's just too tempting for me right now. I'm sorry." I repeated again. "I don't think I can do the bookkeeping. Not yet anyway."

"Whatever it takes to help you get better, we will do." He stated, squeezing my arm gently. "Did you tell your therapist you drank this weekend?" Oh, you could say that.

"Yeah." I nodded, wiping my tears away. "She wants me to keep coming back and try to work on my relationships. Especially with my old friends in California."

"I think that would help a lot. How are you going to do that?" I took a deep breath, gazing out the window towards the other cars in the lot.

"I guess I'll be making that trip back to California." I replied. Though I wasn't looking at him, I could feel the smile on his face.

"I believe that is the best idea you've had in a long time, kiddo." I turned my head to look at him. "It doesn't have to be forever."

"I feel like I'm about to dive head first into a pool of hungry sharks." I smirked at him, leaning back in my seat. "You could come with, ya know. Maybe find you a Power Ranger somewhere."

"Maybe next time. This is something you and Tommy should do. He can help you with all of this and your friends a lot better than I could. Plus, we have the Summer Bash coming up at the bar." He gave me a small smile. "We'll miss you there."

"I'm not leaving yet, Joey." I replied.

"Right. C'mon. Let's get you home." Joey put the truck in drive and pulled out of the lot, heading towards the highway.

I did a lot of thinking after talking to Dr. McAvoy. She insisted I needed my friends. All of them. She said I wouldn't be able to do this without having them behind me during this. I couldn't begin moving forward in my life if I was still holding on to the pain in the past. If that meant I had to see Adam, Aisha, Billy, Rocky, and Zach, it was something I would have to do. If I meant having to confront Jason about what I had done or rather the lack of things I had done, it was a painful, horrible, gut wrenching experience I would need to do in order to do it. My sobriety was on the line here, the option of not being able to get sober without having these things linger over me weighing heavily on my mind. I didn't tell McAvoy I was considering going back to California when I left though. If I was going to make this decision, it would need to be one I made on my own without her adding her "best medical based opinion." If flying to California with Tommy was my best choice, it was going to be one I made myself.

"Thanks, Joey." I said as he pulled up in front of my house. I noted Tommy's truck in the driveway and that there seemed to be no movement inside the joint.

"No problem. Let me know when you're going to California. We'll all come see you off before you." He replied.

"I'll let you know what I decide. Thank you for being one of the best people I know, by the way." Leaning over the seat, I gave him a hug. He patted my back, laughing as I pulled away.

"Tell my ex-wives that, would you?"

"Sure. Give me their numbers." I smirked, climbing out of the cab. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Bye." He drove off after I closed to door behind me. Reaching in my purse, I fished for my keys. I found them and I walked up the porch steps. Unlocking it, I did my best to be as quiet as possible, just in case Tommy was still sleeping. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the living room in comparison of the outside world. As I shut the door, I noticed that the kitchen table was lined with something. My stomach dropped when I realized they were the empty liquor bottles from my room. In the center of the table, I saw the unopened bottle of peppermint Schnapps.

"Welcome home." Tommy's voice called from over by the couch. I glanced over and saw he was standing against the wall. He had changed his clothes, a t-shirt and jeans on now. He had a hard expression on his face as he stared at me, his arms over his chest. "How was therapy?"

"Tommy, I was going to tell you when I came home." I said softly, setting my purse down on the chair in front of me.

"Tell me what? That you've been drinking all weekend? That you stole booze again? That you've been lying this entire time?" He asked, stepping towards me. "Don't bother. I'm not the brightest guy but it doesn't take a genius to connect the dots in this equation."

"I know you're mad and you have every right to be but I'm sorry. I slipped and fucked up. I already told Dr. McAvoy about it and Joey that I stole from the bar again." I replied. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Tommy."

"It's funny how you keep saying that to me but somehow, it still keeps happening. How long have you been hiding this again? Since I started staying here?"

"No. Just since we went to the bar." I answered. I have never seen him so angry before. There was a vein that was sticking out on his temple. Even when we fought horrid monsters, I had never seen him look this way the entire time I've known him. "I'm done though. I drank everything and I'm done."

"There's still one more bottle!" He exclaimed, pointing at the Schnapps. "Clearly, you're not done. Kim, I've uprooted my life to be here for you and you keep lying about everything. You haven't been honest with me about anything."

"I didn't ask you to come here!" I shot back. "Hell, I keep telling you that you don't need to be here. No one is making you stay here to help me. So don't put that on me."

"So what? I'm just suppose to go back home and forget that you were this close to drinking yourself to death? Not think about the fact you could be doing the same thing again every single night? I don't know what kind of person you think I am but I am not that person. I can't just leave, seeing the woman I love drink herself to death. You can't ask me to do that and I won't do it."

"Stop it." I said, shaking my head. "Stop saying that."

"Saying what? That I love you? Why?"

"Because it's not the truth!" I brushed by him. "If you really loved me, you would listen to what I fucking ask of you and would be home already. I told you that I didn't want you here. I don't want to fuck up your life anymore than I've done my own. What is so hard to understand about that? You just want to stand there and blame me for why you're here. Go home. I'm releasing you of your duties here."

"Oh, cut the bullshit, Kimberly. Just because I'm the only one here with enough dignity to be honest with ourselves doesn't make the me the enemy. Hell, you lie so much that you can't even see the truth in the bullshit you spew. I think you like so much to yourself that you don't even know the truth anymore. Only because it scares you to think that you still have feelings for me. It scares you to know that someone loves you the way that you deserve and that it might be the one thing you want more than anything in this world." He spat back. I looked over my shoulder at him.

"If you're suddenly so wise now, how about you tell me the real reason why you're down here? And don't give me the whole Jason and your guilt line either. I mean the real fucking reason. You could have come down here a lot sooner but you suddenly just decide to up and come to Florida? That's not just something a rational person does. And another thing, why the fuck were you in my room? Do I go through your shit when you're not here? No. I'm not that type of person."

"Are you for fucking real right now? Last night, you were having another nightmare and was screaming in your sleep. When I went in your room, I found some of them on the table. That's why I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. I was up, watching you to make sure you didn't end up dying. You were too plastered to remember, I see. After I came home, I went to find what else you had in there. You have done nothing but lie to me since I came here. I don't even know what the truth sounds like coming out of your mouth anymore. Was the Schnapps something you planned on drinking tonight or were you going to have someone else sneak you some here while you sent me on another bullshit errand again?" He swung his arm and knocked all the empty bottles off the table. I jumped slightly at his outburst. "You're right. That's not the reason I came to Florida. I only came here because Joey contacted Jason about you. They were worried about you drinking yourself to death and they thought he might be able to help you. He couldn't come down though so he asked me to. I said yes, hoping I could make things up with you and help you with whatever you were going through. But, I got here and found you. You aren't the same Kimberly I fell in love with. I don't know who you are and I don't know if I want to know." That sentence felt like a knife to the heart. He didn't come here because he was worried. He came because Jason couldn't and had no one else that would be able to.

"Then. Go. The. Fuck. Home." I said through gritted teeth. "Take your fake 'I love you's and your stubborn ass home."

"You know what? Fine. I will." Grabbing his car keys from the table he headed towards the door. "For the record, I never lied to you. At all. Everything I told you was the truth. I do love you. I do want to be with you. I just don't think I can handle this person full of self-hate and anger you've become. I can't fix a person who doesn't want to be fixed and I can't be the person who keeps getting burned trying to."

"Then just go home and forget about me. It's something you're good at, isn't it?" I asked. He shot me a glare, shaking his head before storming out the door. I heard his footsteps on the gravel and the engine start. His tires squealed and his ripped up the street. Once the street was silent, I collapsed into a sobbing heap in the middle of my living room floor.

* * *

 _ **And there we have it! Please don't hate Tommy too bad, guys. I promise that everything will make more sense soon. 3**_


	20. Chapter 20

**_20._**

Hours passed and I finally was able to pull myself up off the floor a little while after Tommy stormed out. I curled up on my loveseat, becoming a ball of a person. He was gone. I had officially driven the one person in my life I have ever loved unconditionally away. He had done nothing but care about me from the moment I met him and this was how I treated him. If reincarnation was such a thing, I would be reborn as one of those gnat bugs that people hate so much. That's the only type of life I deserved at the moment. Tommy had said some things that made everything a bit clearer. Joey had called Jason. That's how Tommy knew where to find the bar and where to find me. Joey and the rest of the group had gotten so fed up with taking care of me, they called someone else in to finish the job. Not that I blamed them. I was the worst handle of a person one could have to deal with and I felt awful for making them do it. This also meant that Jason had decided not to come down, proving that he hated me. And it must have been a lot of anger to have him send the one person he knew I didn't ever want to see again to find me. It was his version of revenge. One that had worked wonderfully in his defense.

I couldn't even recall the last time I had spoken to Jason. I knew it was a couple days after Trini's funeral. Before that, we had spoken every day up until the funeral but once I hadn't shown, the calls began to die down. He called me a little after ten one night and when I answered, he didn't say much. He asked me how I was doing and if everything was okay here. Much of our conversation was just long moments of silence in between forced comments. When I couldn't take it anymore and told him I had to go, he told me that he would call in a few days to check in on me. And he did but I didn't answer. He did several times over the next month until I changed my phone number. I couldn't deal with him and everything he meant. I would have to own up for not going to Trini's funeral and for staying away like a coward. It was too much to bear so I tossed him to the side like I do with everyone else when life gets too hard it seems. I did the same exact thing to Tommy when things got too difficult for me to deal with in our relationship. I was starting to see just what Dr. McAvoy was talking about.

The sun started to set, the sky turning a canvas of pinks, oranges and golds. I could see it from the window above my air conditioner and soon, the street lights kicked on. Their familiar buzz came into the silent house and I wondered how long I could go sitting here without a sound to be heard. Could a person go insane from a lack of noise? Driven made by deafening silence. I'm sure there was a case of it somewhere. I needed the silence now. I needed it to coat myself in the lies I've been telling myself so that I would be able to see the damage I had truly caused. It was my repercussion for what I have done to everyone I was supposed to care for. Tommy's words still seemed to echo off the walls around me each time I closed my eyes. It made my chest hurt and my eyes fill with tears each time I thought about it. At least he was gone now. He was headed back to California. His stuff was even gone, telling me he was thinking about leaving before I had even came home. The only thing left of him was the television that I couldn't bring myself to look at. Each time, I saw my reflection in the screen and all I saw was the pathetic and hollow version of a person I had become. I hated that person. I wanted nothing more than to make that version of me disappear and I knew I couldn't.

Night had fully engulfed our street now, the lights illuminating parts of it as they went up the street. In the distance, I could hear a car alarm and some people talking as they walked by the house. I pulled myself to my feet, deciding whether I should turn some lights on or if I should just go hide in my bedroom. Bending, I turned on the small lamp next to the couch and the light burst into the room. I squinted, not expecting it to be so harsh. Walking around the couch, I glanced around the room. My eyes fell on the small bottle of Schnapps that was still perched on the table. It was the only thing still there from when Tommy cleared it in his anger. I gingerly picked it up and looked down at the small bottle. Unscrewing the cap, I brought the lip of the bottle to my mouth. Closing my eyes, I prepared for the nasty taste of peppermint.

It didn't come though. Even with the bottle lingering there, I couldn't bring myself to pour it's contents into my mouth. Lowering my hand, I walked over to the kitchen sink and poured the Schnapps down the drain. It only took a few seconds for it to pour out and vanish down the pipe. I turned the water on, washing it down. Turning, I picked up the rest of the bottles and tossed them into a garbage bag. I shoved my feet into a pair of sneakers and opened my front door. Walking outside, I noticed the air wasn't as warm as usual. It was a pleasant type of cool, a nice night to have windows open without the need of a fan. I tried to remember the last time I had been outside at night to enjoy this type of weather without some type of alcohol in my system. It had been a long while, that I knew for sure.

I walked over to my recyclable bin and put the bag inside of it. The cardboard from the television was inside of here from when Tommy had cleaned the house. I shut the lid, not wanting to look at it anymore. Tucking my hands in my pockets, I walked down the end of the driveway and looked up at the sky. The stars were bright tonight, the moon hiding slightly behind a pocket of clouds. I wondered if there were no lights around if I could see more stars. My mind went back to the moon and I thought of the Moon Palace where Rita and Zedd lived. Was it still there, just sitting vacant? Was there a way I could purchase it really cheap? At least there, I couldn't hurt anyone. And it was nestled in a nice spot where I would be able to breathe just fine. Honestly, it didn't sound like that bad of a plan from here.

The sound of clicking caught my attention and I looked down to my right. I saw Spice, Maria and Marcus's dog running up the sidewalk towards me. The pit bull was dragging her leash behind her and I noticed she was alone, no one coming up behind her. I bent down as she reached me, petting the top of her head.

"Hey, girl. What are you doing? Where's Sugar and Marcus?" I picked up her leash in my hand and felt something wet and sticky on the loop where you are supposed to hold it. Pulling my hand back, I saw the substance was red. Like blood. "C'mon. Show me where they are." I said, patting the top of her head as panic set in. Spice started up the street in the direction she had come from, me jogging behind her as she ran. We passed their house, the lights on in the front window. I wondered if maybe Maria and Marcus were inside and the dogs had gotten out somehow. But why would Spice have a leash on and where had the blood come from?

Spice tugged me forward, heading towards the end of our block. She went down the side street that headed towards the abandoned brick building that used to be a textile plant decades ago. The building sat empty now, nothing being here since before I was born. There were no street lights on this part of the street and the only source of light came from a security light on a house nearby. There was a large parking lot in the back of the building and beyond that, swamp lands. The neighborhood kids like to go there and do things their mother would beat them for. I've heard that alligators like to hang out down there but I had never actually seen one with my own eyes. The dog darted towards a nearby door of the building and I noticed it was propped open with a concrete brick. In the parking lot, I saw that there was a dark four door vehicle of some sorts parked there. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed my cell phone and dialed 911.

"911, where is the address of your emergency?" The woman who answered said in my ear.

"At the end of Highland Avenue. I think someone broke into the old mill. My neighbor might be in trouble in there. His dog showed up at my house covered in blood and this is where she led me." I replied, eyeing the building.

"Can you see anyone, ma'am?"

"No but the door is open and there's a car in the lot." I heard her type something.

"Ma'am, I'm going to need you to head somewhere away from there until the police arrive." The woman said. I nodded, even though I knew she couldn't hear me. I turned to walk back up the street and that's when I noticed the black pick up truck parked along the curb a few houses up. It had Georgia plates and I could see a jacket on the back of the seat.

Tommy.

"Please hurry." I said, hanging up the phone. "C'mon, girl." I said to Spice, turning back towards the building. How did I not notice his truck on the way here? And how long had it been there? It was only parked five houses up from mine. Had he been here all day after running off? Nearing the building, I listened near the door for a moment. I heard what sounded like scuffling and a sickening thud sound over and over again. There was a bark and a whimper, telling me that Sugar was inside of there alright. Spice let out a soft high pitched whine next to me as she paced in place. I petted the top of her head in a reassuring fashion, trying to figure out what I should do.

"Where's your posse now, motherfucker?" I heard a deep voice said. There was another thud noise and someone moaned. "Not a lot of shit talking coming from your mouth now."

"Let him go. He's only a kid." Tommy's voice said. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I liked when he was a hero but did he have to do it all the time? And if Maria didn't kill Marcus for getting involved in something like this, I would do it myself.

"Shut it, white boy. Marcus knows full well why we're here. He likes to talk shit and run his mouth to anyone who will listen. Doesn't feel good getting your ass beat does it?" The voice said. Spice barred her teeth and pulled at the leash slightly.

"Hold on. Let's see what we're up against." I whispered. Crouching low, I crawled forward so I could peak into the building. It was dark but I could just made out four figures in a part of the giant room that made up the first floor of the warehouse. There was a crumpled mess of a person on the floor and I could tell that one of the people standing was indeed Tommy just from the stance he took. Why was he just standing there? Three regular humans? Tommy could take them out in a heartbeat.

"Let's just pop these bitches' asses and go." Another voice said, someone raising their arm towards Tommy. I saw the glint of a gun in his hand, the barrel just a foot away from Tommy's head. Well, that answered my question. Gripping the leash tightly, I slipped inside of the building with Spice next to me. I followed along the wall, keeping low and out of view. The closer I got, the more I could make out of the people standing. Across from Tommy was a kid who had to be near Marcus's age. He was African American and dressed in all black, braids on top of his head. There was a black bandana tied around his neck, something that was supposed to be a disguise I guessed. Next to him was a Mexican man who looked a tad bit older. He was the one holding the gun that was pointed at Tommy. A hard expression was on his face and he glared at Tommy over the gun. I had been right about the person being on the floor. It was Marcus. Or at least what used to be Marcus. There was blood oozing out of his mouth and from a huge gash above his eye. The left side of his face was swollen and he didn't seem to be very aware of his surroundings as he laid there. Next to him, there was another mass. It was a dog and I knew it was Sugar. Her tail was wagging slightly and she seemed to be breathing though it was labored. The remaining person was another teen who was also African American. He was taller and skinny, dressed in all black as well. He had a gun tucked into the waist line of his pants and I could see it in the pale light around the room.

"Just hold the fuck up. I don't think my homeboy here has learned a lesson, have you Marcus?" The taller teen said. He bent so he was near Marcus. "Well?"

"Yes." Marcus managed to say, the act of speaking sounding painful coming from him. "I'm sorry."

"I don't know about that. What do you think, Trey?" He turned his eyes to the other teen who I was now assuming was his brother. Both had the same shape to their heads and similar builds, more features seemed to be apparent the longer I hid. The other guy seemed to be the odd man out but still seemed to hold his own in the group.

"I think I want to get the fuck out of here before someone else shows up." The kid said. "C'mon, Darius. Enough games. Can we just fucking go?"

"Fine. Sorry, boys." Darius stood up straight and pulled his gun from his belt loop, pointing it towards Marcus. Adrenaline coursed through my body suddenly and I undid Spice's leash. She leapt forward, sprinting towards Darius who let out a yell of surprise when she jumped up and bit him in the arm. "What the fuck!" He yelled, trying to pull out of her grip. I used the distraction to my advantage, running forward and kicking the other gun out of the guy's hand. It flew from his grip, sliding across the cement under out feet. Tommy looked surprised to see me as I round house kicked the guy in the face, tossing him backwards on his as. Trey took a couple steps back but Tommy was on him quick. He put him in a hold, crossing his arms behind his back tightly until he cried out in pain. The unnamed gang member was quickly on his feet again and I realized he had a good foot or two on me. He ran forward, reaching out to grab ahold of me but I was quicker than him. Holding out my foot, I tripped him and he fell head first into the wall. There was a loud crack noise as he fell and I saw he had scrapped his face along the brick, blood trickling out of scratches.

"Kim, the gun!" Tommy yelled behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that Darius had been able to shake Spice off and was reaching for his gun that had fallen in the attach. I ran forward, dropping to slid across the floor. My foot came in contact with the gun and it flew out of his reach. I came to a stop between Marcus and Darius, the thug looking extremely pissed at the moment.

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are, Barbie, but I'm about to make you regret coming to help this little shithead." He said, his hands going for his back. My eyes widened as he pulled another gun out from his belt line. He pointed it at me and I closed my eyes, waiting for the loud noise. All that came was the sound of someone colliding with another person. I dared a look, seeing Tommy pinning Darius to the ground. He had knocked Trey out, his unconscious body laying in a heap now. Pulling his arm back, Tommy punched Darius in the face. He repeated this action a couple times until the kid stopped moving. Blood trickled down from his lip as his limbs went limp. Pushing himself off the guy, Tommy stood up and ran over to me.

"Are you alright?" He asked, kneeling down next to me. I nodded, unable to speak at the moment. Reality came rushing back to me and I promptly slugged Tommy in the shoulder. He winced. "What was that for?!" He asked.

"What do you fucking think? What the fuck is going on right now? You're suddenly running around with teenagers and gang members. Was this something you forgot to mention?"

"I'm not. I was coming back to the house when I saw Marcus running away from these guys. I tried to help but didn't realize they had guns until it was too late."

"Marcus." I said, gazing down at the teen. He was starting to stir now, pushing himself over onto his back. Sugar attempted to stand but struggled. "We've got to get them home." I said, looking at Tommy. He nodded. "Marcus? Can you stand?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He said, trying to sit up. He winced and fell back. Bracing himself with my hand, he managed to pull himself up so he was sitting. "I mean, I might look like Mike Tyson had his way with me but I'll live."

"C'mon." I helped him stand. He was a bit wobbly but seemed like he would be fine. Tommy bent down and picked Sugar up off the floor. "What did they do to her?"

"Darius kicked her pretty good. Momma is going to kill me." Marcus moaned. I wrapped his arm around my shoulders and looked around for Spice. She was hovering by Tommy, following them.

"She most definitely is." I replied. "What the hell was that about?" I asked as we made our way out of the warehouse. In the distance, I heard sirens coming. So much for come quickly, assholes. Marcus winced with each step but seemed like he was able to hold his own alright.

"Trey's girlfriend told him I tried hooking up with her." He answered. "It's not true but you know these guys. The truth don't matter to them."

"You've got to stop hanging out with people like that." I said, checking over my shoulder to make sure Tommy was still there. He nodded towards me and I kept walking. It felt like Maria's house was a mile away right now, each step a journey. The sirens were getting increasingly louder by the second.

"I don't hang out with them. They jumped me." He said. I helped him over a bump in the sidewalk and he gasped in pain. "I think I'm moving to the burbs. This shit doesn't happen there."

"I'll help you look for a place." I smiled at him and he laughed.

"Thanks." As we neared his house, I saw the front door open and Maria stepped out on the porch. She looked up the street in our direction and her eyes widened when they landed on us.

"Marcus!" She exclaimed, running down the front steps. She met up in front of their next door neighbors house, grabbing Marcus by the other arm. "What happened?"

"I got jumped, Momma." He replied. Together, Maria helped me basically carry Marcus up the porch steps. Tommy followed, carrying the ninety pound pit bull like a baby. Spice followed behind him, keeping close. Maria tossed open the front screen door and we entered the house.

"Here. Sit here." She pointed at one of the green kitchen chairs she had around the matching table in her kitchen. Like mine, it was the first room you come across when you walk into the house. It was a generous size kitchen with antique appliances. I wasn't sure if that was the look she was going for or if it was all they could afford. Shelves of various knickknacks lined the white walls and I could smell the remnants of dinner in the air. She pulled a chair out for Marcus and he sat down, looking relieved to be off his feet. I moved aside, allowing Tommy to set Sugar down on top of the table. "Oh, Sugar." Maria whispered, petting her dog's head. Sugar wagged her tail, looking up at her. Maria ran a hand over her, feeling for an injuries. The dog winced when she touched near her rib cage. She pulled her hands back.

"Is she okay?" Marcus asked. Maria nodded.

"I think they just cracked her rib. I'm not feeling any signs of internal injuries. We'll have to take her to the vet first thing anyway to make sure. What about you?"

"I'm fine. Really. It's just my face that looks this horrible." He said, trying to joke his way out of it. The hard expression on his mother's face told me it wasn't going to work.

"What the hell happened? Who did this?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"It was Darius and Trey. Just thugs, Momma. They jumped me when I was walking the dogs. I tried to run but I couldn't. That's when Kim's friend jumped in to help me. Did you know that Kim knows karate?" He asked, sounding surprised. "And her friend here does too. He's like a karate guy! Dude. I'm going to call you that now. Karate Guy. Where did you meet this guy, Miss Kimberly?"

"Marcus! That's not the point right now. You could have been killed!" She exclaimed. Maria turned and looked at me. "Thank God you were there tonight. Thank you so much, Kim. And you. What is your name?" She asked Tommy.

"Maria, this is my friend Tommy. Sorry I haven't brought him over yet to introduce you guys. He's been staying with me. He's the one who was looking for me that night." I explained.

"Oh! It's so nice to meet you. I'm so grateful that you were here to help my son tonight. God knows what could have happened to him if you were there." Tears formed in her eyes as she glanced over at Marcus who was petting Sugar's head gingerly.

"I'm glad I could help." Tommy said. "Do you mind if I use your bathroom? I think I have a couple of cuts I'd like to clean up myself." It was the first time I actually looked over at Tommy since the fight. He did have a scrap on his chin and what looked like the early start of a bruise around his left eye. It wasn't as bad as Marcus but would be there a few days. I saw a couple cuts on his arms and a red mark near his neck.

"Certainly. It's up the hall and to the left." She replied.

"Thank you." Tommy excused himself and headed up the hallway. Maria turned her attention to Marcus and his wounds. She grabbed a clean towel from a drawer and some peroxide from the top of the fridge.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Marcus. I swear, you're too much like your father for your own damn good." She muttered, cleaning out the cuts on his face. He sat still as she did but winced each time she dabbed it with the peroxide soaked towel.

"I'm sorry, Momma." He said, over and over again as she worked. I quietly walked up the hallway away from them, heading towards the bathroom. The door was open a crack and I lightly knocked on it.

"Come in." Tommy said. Pulling the door open, I stepped inside. He was perched on the closed toilet, running his hands under the water in the sink. It was tinged pink with his blood, the dried bits of it and dirt washing off.

"You okay?" I asked, glancing at him. He nodded, standing up from the toilet.

"Are you?"

"Yeah. I'm not hurt at all. Though, for a moment there, I thought for sure that my ass was grass." I replied. I grabbed a wash cloth from the cubby under the sink and turned the hot water on. Soaking it for a second, I motioned for him to sit again. He did without protesting. Stepping forward, I dabbed the cloth on the scratches on his face. "But as usual, I can always count on you to save me just in the nick of time."

"I aim to please." He said softly. "Though, I think you saved us more than I saved you tonight."

"You could have taken those guys." I replied. "They had nothing on you."

"They had three guns between them." He retorted. "Things got a bit hairy there for a second for my liking."

"Can we just agree to not go running into a situation like that again? Especially since we don't have powers anymore." I whispered. "If you need to find a sense of adventure, try something safer. Like skydiving."

"We've done that. Where's the fun in that?" He replied, smirking up at me.

"Just humor me, won't you?" I asked. Wringing out the wash cloth, I gently wiped some dirt off his cheek.

"About earlier…" He said, reaching up and taking my hand in his. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

"Yes, you did." I replied. "Otherwise you wouldn't have said it. I don't blame you either. I mean, it's nice to know the truth now about Joey and Jason. But I can't be mad at you for something I caused myself."

"That wasn't a fake 'I love you' either." He said, standing up. He took both my hands in his, setting the wash cloth on the sink.

"I know. I got the sense of that when you jumped in front of a gun for me tonight." I bit my lip. "I want to go home."

"Okay. We can tell your friends good-bye and we can get some sleep. It's been quite the day."

"That's not what I meant, Tommy. I want to go home. As in Angel Grove home." He raised his eyebrows, shock on his features.

"Really?" I nodded. "What changed your mind?"

"Therapy today. I admitted I had relapsed to Dr. McAvoy and she told me I had to deal with everything in my past to make way for my future. And I figured the best way to do that would be to go home for a while. I thought we could go for the wedding. It'd be a nice surprise to say the least."

"Oh, that it will be. Are you sure about this?" He asked, stroking the tops of my hands with his thumbs.

"Nope but I guess there's only one real way to find out."


	21. Chapter 21

_**21.**_

Marcus and Sugar both ended up going to get checked out that night. He ended up with a concussion and a couple stitches above his eye while the pit bull had to spend the night at the animal emergency clinic. She was alright but they wanted to monitor her to make sure she had no internal bleeding. Tommy and I picked up Sugar for Maria while her brother picked Marcus up from the ER. I had a feeling that neither were going to be able to leave Maria's sight for a while. We saw on the news the next morning that the three assholes who had jumped Marcus were arrested last night. They were charged for trespassing, illegal possession of a firearm as well as a couple bench warrants they had open due to drug charges. The boys had ended up being only 19 years old while the other guy was almost 30. I will never understand how the gang community works but I was happy to see these three losers were going to be off the streets for a couple of weeks at least.

Tommy and I discussed our heading back to California. We both agreed it would be best to go at the end of the week, giving me time to chicken out if need be and time to see everyone before the actual wedding. He was fearful that with my recent relapse, I wouldn't be able to handle being that stressed at the wedding. There would be too much alcohol around and the added bonus of six triggers wasn't the ideal situation. He booked us a flight to Cali with a layover in Houston half we through. I offered to pay for my ticket but he said he was just going to use the miles he had saved up on his credit card. I didn't believe him but I knew better than to argue.

Later that morning, Tommy and I drove over to the Glenmore. I didn't want to be here but I knew it was my best chance of getting everyone together before I left. Sandra and Joey's cars were in the parking lot and I knew Hank and Al would be coming along shortly to start setting up for lunch. Parking the truck, Tommy and I walked over to the glass door and walked inside. I spotted Sandra behind the bar, sorting out fruit into the bins. Joey was across from her and had a large stack of papers in front of him that he appeared to be sorting. Both turned when the door opened and Sandra let out a little cry of surprise.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" She asked, walking towards me. She gave me a tight embrace, one that I returned. Joey was next as she pulled away.

"I thought I would come see you guys. What are you doing, Joey?" I asked, pointing at the papers.

"Sorting through our receipts. You know I can be." He replied, sheepishly.

"Sadly. Here. Let me see them." I handed my purse to Tommy who took it without question. Walking over to the bar, I took the stack of papers and leafed through them. "It's easier to do them by what they are for." I said, gazing at Joey. I put a receipt for booze on the bar, another for food, and a third for his electric bill. I started sorting them out like this, each going into the correct pile. "Then when you're done with that, go through and sort them by date. Put the most recent on top. I always like to circle the total amount too just to make it easier on yourself when you enter them into the computer."

"What the hell would I do without you?" He asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Never complete a tax return?" I replied. He laughed, nodding his head. The door behind us opened, Al and Hank entering.

"Kimberly!" Al said, barreling towards me to give me a bear hug. I laughed as he picked me up off the ground in a tight squeeze.

"You're going to break my rib." I said as he put me down. Hank also bent down to give me a hug and for a moment, I thought I smelt a whiff of Maria's perfume on him. I eyed him as he pulled away but he only grinned slyly at me.

"It's great to see you again. How are things going?" Al asked.

"Well, I'm not going to lie to you guys." I replied. Him and Hank sat on a bar stool, turning to face me. "When I was here the other night, I stole another bottle and I relapsed. It was stupid of me and I let you all down. I know. I've already talked to Joey about it and he knows the truth."

"Oh, Kim." Sandra whispered, giving me a concerned look. "It's okay. That can happen with rehab."

"So I've been told." I replied, smiling at her. "I talked to my therapist and she said that I have to figure things out before I can start to move forward. A big part of my problem is that I always blame my problems on everyone else. For the longest time, I blamed the bar and you guys for my drinking. I used to think if you guys didn't stop me, I must not have a problem. That was wrong of me to do that and I know that now. I made you guys go through so much shit and I shouldn't have. I'll be forever grateful for you and what you've done to me. My doctor thinks I need to deal with all the aspects of my past and I think she might be right. That's why on Friday, I'll be heading back to California."

"You're leaving?" Hank asked, scratching the top of his head. "For how long?"

"A week or two." I replied. "I have to go back and deal with my friends there and how things went down between us. There's a lot of things that happened there that I never bothered to try and get closure from. I have to try to do that if I plan on making any kind of future for myself."

"You're coming back though, right?" Sandra asked. I nodded.

"I'm not moving back there. This is where I want to be. I just need to fix somethings before I can be myself again. That's all." From the corner of my eye, I saw Tommy frown. He shifted his feet though and tried to hide his face as he looked down but not before I saw it. "But, I want to have dinner with everyone before I leave. I know how hard that can be with the bar and every thing though."

"Nonsense. I think we all deserve to take a night off. I can close the bar at six tomorrow." Joey said, patting the top of the bar. "And we can have a BBQ at my house."

"Thanks, Joey. Thank you everyone."

* * *

Tommy was quiet that night and I knew why. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was sad at what I had said back at the bar. I knew he wished I would just move back home. I could see it in his eyes every time he looked at me. He didn't say anything about it though and his mood seemed to get better the next morning when he dropped me off at group. I informed everyone there that I would be going on a vacation to California to work on somethings. They group wished me well and said that they would look forward to my return. It amazed me how much they were beginning to mean to be and I was happy that my support group was getting bigger.

Towards the end of the meeting, I was talking to Sam by the door when Dr. McAvoy tapped on my shoulder. Turning to face her, I gave her a small smile. "Hi, Dr. McAvoy."

"Hi, Kimberly. Sam, could we have a moment?" She asked, looking at Sam. She nodded, excusing herself. McAvoy took her spot in front of me. "I'm excited to hear about your trip. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back. I think you're doing the right thing by returning home to face your past. I see you took my advice and ran with it."

"I suppose I did." I replied, chuckling. "I'm not going to lie. I'm scared shitless but I know you were right about this and I need to do it."

"I'm proud of you, Kim. Are you still going to be able to make your one on one appointment this Friday?" She questioned. I nodded.

"Yes. We're taking a flight out that night just so I could make my session."

"Good. Would you be able to bring Tommy to your session with you?"

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Like into my session?"

"Yes. I think that it might be beneficial for me to speak to him as he will be your support out in California during your trip. I just want to get a grasp on how well he will be able to handle things if you should happen to relapse or something were to happen."

"Oh. Okay. I can ask him. I don't think he would have a problem with it." I replied. She smiled.

"Very well. I will see you in a few days then." She gave my hand a squeeze before leaving the room. I watched her go, feeling like she wasn't telling the truth about why she wanted Tommy there. I felt like all that information could have been a phone call or a well detailed pamphlet. Why did she need to see him in person to talk about that stuff? And would he be willing to come to my session? I thought it would be crossing over that line that we've been teetering on for weeks now. With everything that's happened in the last couple days, would it be wise to have him come?

"What wrong?" He asked as we headed out of the parking lot and towards the highway. We were going to Joey's from my group session, a large bowl of chilled potato salad sitting in a cooler in the area behind my seat.

"Huh?" I said, glancing over at him.

"You haven't said much. Are you nervous about the BBQ?" He asked. I shook my head, sitting back in my seat.

"No. It's not that. Dr. McAvoy just asked me something odd and I'm not quite sure how to handle it." I pulled at a stray thread at the hem of my pink floral summer dress.

"What was it?" He questioned. I noticed now that his arms were a more bronze color than they had been when he first arrived here. They made the black of his t-shirt seem darker.

"She wanted to know if you could come to my session on Friday." I answered, eyeing him. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

"Go with you? As in sit in on your session?" I nodded. "Why?"

"She said she wanted to talk to you about being like my sponsor while we're gone. That's all she really said." He smiled.

"Well, that makes since. Sure." Did he even think about it for a second?

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything."

"Kim, if it's going to help you, of course I'll go. Besides, I'd like to meet her. She sounds like quite the character."

"That she is. Hey, since we're being open and honest here, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I know how much you want me to move back home but I can't do that. I hope you know that." He took a deep breath, nodding. He turned off the highway and took a wide right turn down Maplewood Drive.

"I know. I'm just glad you're going back for a little while. You don't have to apologize. It's selfish of me to think like that. Don't worry about me." I scoffed.

"You're kidding, right? All I do is worry about you. The man who runs into abandoned buildings to say my neighbor and his dog. The man who becomes a Power Ranger ten years after the fact. How the hell am I not going to worry about you? I've been doing it since I've met you."

"That's good to hear." He said, grinning at me. "Now, where am I going?"

I directed Tommy down a few more blocks before taking a left hand turn down Henry Street. I spotted Hank's gold van parked along the curb outside of Joey's house along with Becky's dark green mini van. Tommy parked behind both of them, killing the engine. Reaching behind the seat, I grabbed the potato salad and climbed out of the truck. He did the same, taking the bowl from me as he joined me on the side walk. Joey's house was a two store thing with pale blue siding. The roof was covered in recently added grey shingles and he had a wrap around porch that needed a new coat of white paint. The matching white fence went around the front of the house and attached the garage, a gate in it. I could hear children giggling and see smoking coming from behind the fence. Tommy followed behind me as I walked up the driveway and then the stone path to the gate. He pulled it open for me and I slipped inside.

The backyard was buzzing with activity. It wasn't a big thing, just enough room for a small patio area and a fire pit. There was a long picnic table set up, food covering it. Behind it, there was a grill where Joey was standing, a spatula in hand. At the table, Sandra sat with Becky and Amelia, Al's wife. She was a smaller, skinny thing with short black hair. Becky held a baby in her arms, telling me it was her newest addition to the family. To my surprise, Maria was also sitting with them. By Joey, I spotted Hank, Al and Becky's husband, David. Marcus and Sandra's son, Owen, were further into the yard, chasing after Becky's two older kids. Sugar and Spice were here as well, Spice running around with the kids while Sugar sun bathed on the stone walk way.

"Hey, everyone." I said, walking into the backyard. Everyone shifted to look in our direction, smiling when they saw it was us. I took the bowl from Tommy and set the potato salad on the table as people stood to hug me. When Maria wrapped her arms around me, I giggled in her ear. "Why do I feel like you are here for reasons other than me?" I whispered.

"Oh, stop it." She said, blushing as she let me go. I went over to Becky to give her hug so she wouldn't have to stand.

"You look great! How are you doing?" She said.

"I'm okay. Thank you for coming. I wasn't sure if you were going to be able to with the kids." She shrugged.

"Any chance where someone else can keep them entertained, I'm there." Grinning, she shifted and set the baby down in the carrier by her feet. "So, California? Are you excited?"

"I guess so." I replied. I noticed that Tommy walked over and joined the rest of the guys so I squeezed in next to Maria. "It's been so long. I'm honestly nervous about seeing everyone."

"You have nothing to be nervous about. Your friends love you. If not, then they aren't really your friends." Maria said, patting my back.

"I know but that's not what I'm worried about. I tried them like dirt after everything that happened. I wouldn't blame them for hating me. I'm just hoping I can get whatever I need to get better by going back. I don't want to make the trip for nothing." I replied, nabbing a chip from the open bag in front of me.

"Oh, I wouldn't say it was for nothing." Sandra sighed, smiling at me as she stole a peak over her shoulder towards Tommy. I kicked her under the table. "Ow! What? I wish I was going 3,000 miles away with an attractive man."

"It's not like that." I said, pointing at her. "We're just friends."

"Right. Right. We seem to keep forgetting that, don't we?" Becky added, winking at Sandra.

"Karate Guy!" Marcus called, jogging over from the backyard. He walked over to Tommy and shook his hand. "I thought that was you."

"Karate Guy? Is that what we're supposed to call you now?" Joey asked, laughing. Tommy shook his head, a look of slight embarrassment on his cheeks.

"No. Just a term of endearment." He replied.

"What? No way! He's got some sick moves. Him and Kimberly kicked some serious ass the other night to save me." Marcus replied.

"You got into a fight?" Sandra asked, glancing over at me.

"It wasn't really a fight." I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"Miss Kimberly, I think you're selling yourself short. Alright. Picture this; I was just walking up the street, minding my own business and walking my dogs. All of a sudden, these guys start chasing me in their car. I ran into this old building and they followed me. They started kicking my ass and then suddenly, Karate Guy here comes out of no where and is all like 'hiya', 'kiya' and 'Aiya.' It was like a scene straight out of a Jackie Chan movie. And then Kim showed up and she was doing the same thing! I don't know what they teach out in Cali but I need to learn me some moves." Marcus said, making karate chops in the air as he told the story. Tommy smiled over at me as we listened and I shook my head.

"You know karate?" Becky asked, turning to me. I nodded.

"Somewhat. Tommy taught me a few things when we were kids. It was popular at our school." I lied, stealing another chip.

"Well would you look at that. I guess you didn't need your shotgun or me all this time, Joey. Kim could have kicked some unruly asses if she needed to." Hank called, grabbing a can of diet cola from a bright red color next to the grill. "I hope you never come back. I'll be unemployed."

"Yeah, okay. You're scarier looking than the five foot girl." Joey said, nudging Hank in the arm. "That's what I pay you for."

"Thanks." Hank said flatly.

"Anytime. Now, the burgers are about done if anyone is hungry. Kim, can you help me inside with something quick?" Joey asked, handing the spatula to Al. I nodded, standing up from the table. I followed him into the back door, a glass sliding number that clicked when I closed it behind me. I found myself standing in Joey's kitchen. It was obvious that a man lived here and even more apparent that it was a man who was hardly home. The kitchen was painted a light blue color with white appliances and grey counter top. There were a couple of dirty dishes in the sink and a beer bottle on the counter next to it. On the island, I noticed there was a large envelope and Joey grabbed it with his hand. "Here." He said, holding it out to me.

"What's this?" I asked, taking it.

"Open it and find out." He replied, shrugging. I pulled on the tab of the envelope, opening it. Reaching inside, I felt something like a thick pad of paper. Bringing my hand out, I saw it was a stack of hundred dollar bills. Looking inside of the package, I saw there were four stacks like this.

"Joey! How much is this?"

"$20,000." He stated. "And it's yours."

"I can't take this. What is this? Your savings? No. There's no way I'm taking this." I dropped the money back inside and held it out to him. He shook his hands, taking a step back.

"It's not a big deal. And it's not all my savings. It's just a bit of my surplus from the past couple of months. I want you to have it. You'll need it when you're out in California. Who knows. Maybe you will find an apartment or something and you can make a deposit on it while you're there."

"An apartment? I'm not moving there. I'm just going for a week or two. Please, Joey. I can't take this. You've already done so much for me."

"Consider it your salary for a year. To hold you over until you find something new." He replied. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Joey, are you firing me?"

"No." He said quickly. "I just thought about what you said yesterday and how you know that the bar isn't the best place for you to be. I get it. Really. So, I think for now, it's best if you didn't have to worry about it. If you are back to yourself before that, I'll be glad to have you back. If not, take as much time as you need. This way, you don't have to worry about not having a paycheck each week."

"That's still firing me." I said, flatly.

"Think of it as more of a layoff situation until everything blows over. You've got so much on your plate and I don't want the Glenmore to be the reason why you can't get better. I can't have that weighing on my chest." He looked at me with pleading, guilt filled eyes and I saw he wasn't trying to be mean. He was doing what was best for not only me but his business. He's already put up with so much and there was only a time before he would reach his limit of tolerance. "You're still part of this family, no matter the outcome."

"Tommy told me." I said, softly.

"As he should! You are family."

"No. Not about that. He told be about you calling Jason when things started getting really bad." His expression changed and he suddenly looked like a puppy who had been caught chewing on my favorite pair of shoes. "I'm not mad."

"Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded.

"I get it. I would have done the same thing." I replied.

"Really?"

"No." I chuckled and he smiled. "But I know you did it because you were worried and out of options. Hell, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably be getting drunk in the bathroom of the bar right now. As lovely as that sounds, I rather be here with everyone. And you've helped me become friends with Tommy again. That's something I'm very grateful for. If I beat this and get sober, you'll be the only person I can thank for that."

"You can thank yourself too. You can bring a horse to water but you can't make them drink. I'm just glad it was my bar you came to all that time ago. I wish my own kids treated me at least half as decently as you do. You're a good kid, Kim. You deserve to have a happy life, where ever and with whoever you want." He smirked at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Not you too." I muttered, crossing my arms. "I'm going to get a t-shirt that says 'Just Friends' for Tommy and I to wear."

"Hey, I didn't say a thing. You just jumped to that conclusion." He held up his hands in defense.

"Yeah, right. You all are instigators. Every single one of you." I pointed a finger at him before sighing. Looking down, I eyed the envelop. "You sure about this?" I held it up.

"Positive. Even if you don't spend it, put it aside for your future. Who knows? You could go to school or something with it. Whatever you want."

"You're too much sometimes, Joey." I said, walking over and giving him a hug. "Not for nothing, I wish you were my father sometimes. I've put you through enough that you've more than earned the title."

"Well if that's the case, wanna hear this really lame dad joke?" He asked, pulling away.

"I think we're done here." I shot him a wink before walking out the backdoor.

The rest of the BBQ was the most fun I've had in a long time. I sat with everyone at the table, talking about my early days at the Glenmore. We spoke about when Becky went into labor with her middle kid, her water breaking behind the bar. Joey told the story of how Hank had to kick a homeless man out of our basement who had been living there for months without us knowing. Tommy sat next to me and listening, interested in hearing everything everyone said. I watched him as he did, noticing that he wasn't pretending or just putting on a show. He was truly interacting with my friends, the people I considered family at this point, and was loving every minute of it. For a moment, I let myself fantasize that this was something that happened all the time. That Tommy and I would bring our kids over to play with Becky's while Joey made corny jokes by the grill. There would be tales of our wedding and how crazy the reception had been, jokes poking fun at how Hank proposed to Maria after she caught the bouquet. I knew it was silly but it made me smile. It was the kind of life that wasn't all the impossible to imagine, granted if you believed in second chances. But Tommy's life wasn't here. Our time together would be growing shorter and there was nothing I could do about it.

As the sun began to set, Al broke out some fireworks from the back of his truck even though Amelia harped on him about them. He set them up a safe distance from the house and we all turned to watch them. The explosives flew up into the air, bursting into colorful sparks. The kids all grouped together on the grass, 'ooooohs' and 'aaaahs' coming from them after each one. Al looked like he was having more fun though, his facing lighting up each time he lit a fuse. Amelia smiled as she watched him and I saw pure love in her eyes.

"Ivan Ooze." Tommy said softly next to me, drawing my attention. Turning my head, I craned my next to look up at him.

"What?"

"Ivan Ooze. That was the last time I watched fireworks with you." He whispered. I grinned.

"Right. When they did the 'Thank you Power Rangers' display over the harbor." Nodding, he turned his face up to the sky as a green shower of sparks lit up the backyard. Taking a deep breath, I leaned against him and rested my head on his shoulder. I felt him shift to look down at me but I didn't make a move to notice. A few moments later, his arm slipped around me in a safe but warm hold. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe that day dream wasn't as far fetched as I had thought. It didn't matter though. The only thing that mattered right now was this very moment and I didn't want to leave.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: There are absolutely no words to describe my gratitude for all of you who have reached out with kind words during this time. I won't lie and say I'm better. It's only been two weeks and the pain is still just as bad today as it was that night. I'm sorry that this has been pushed aside because of it. It's going to be a long time before I am myself again but I am going to try like hell to find that person again. I have never gone through something so painful before. Someone of you who have read my other fics know that I lost two younger cousins at the beginning of the year due to a house fire. I never imagined anything worse than that but the universe has a funny way of showing you there is always something worse.

For now, I am going to try to go back to normal as much as I can be. I've worked on this off and on before and after Jace. I apologize if it's not the greatest or if there is errors in there somewhere. Pretty much the bulk of the rest of the fic is going to be taking place in Angel Grove and with the rest of our favorite crew. I'm hoping to be back in the swing of writing and updating every few days now that I"m back. My husband actually surprised me with tickets to a local con here where Jason (Austin St. John) is going to be along with a couple other Rangers from seasons I didn't watch. If any of you are going to the Empire State Comic-Con, let me know! I would love a chance to meet you. It was supposed to be our first comic-con with our son to see how he could handle going to a much bigger one. It'll be tough but I'm looking forward to getting away with my husband.

As always, I have no rights or ownership of the Power Rangers. I'm just a poor, sad, white girl trying to make it in this big, mean world.

Again, thank you all for being so supportive and for standing by me. I love this fandom and I love this community. I've been using for almost twenty years now (Good God, that makes me feel ninety) and I never imagined that reading horrible Harry Potter fanfiction after school would lead me to meeting such wonderful people.

Love always,

Jessica

(Morphme)

* * *

22.

The days following the BBQ seemed to move in a blur. It was filled with planning our trip, confirming flights and trying to find someone to take care of my place while we were gone. Maria and Marcus said they would and I gave them the spare key I had given Tommy. He made calls to the airport, making sure his jeep was still parked in the lot where he had left it and that he would be able to bring on a carry-on instead of checking it. It all seemed mundane but with every call or item checked off our list, my anxiety grew. I was going to be setting foot in a place I had sworn I would never returned. It made me want to run and hide until Tommy was gone but we all knew how well that worked out the last time. My only option was to just sit back and watch it all happen, even if it was nerve-wracking.

Friday morning, I woke up and laid in my bed for a while. I stared up at the Donald Trump stain and thought back to when I would be drunk enough for me to hear it start firing people. It's only been a year – not even, really – since I had last seen these people and it felt like it had been a decade. My heart raced with each thought I had of going and whenever my eyes landed on the suitcase in the corner of my room, sweat would start to form in my palms. Tommy was a good sport about everything, reassuring me and telling me he was proud of every thing I've done so far and my decision to go back to Angel Grove. I wished I could feel proud like him but instead, I felt like I was gearing up to jump in front of a moving Mac truck on the freeway. In fact, that sounded more inviting than what we were about to do.

If going back home meant having to see Jason, I knew I had to do it. What would I do if he didn't want to see me though? How would I get that closure that Dr. McAvoy said I needed so badly? I couldn't make him want to talk to me any more than he could make me go back there for Trini's funeral. The reality of the fact he might not want to see my face hurt more than anything at the moment. I didn't blame him for it and I knew it was just but in the same breath, I wished he would miss me. That he would remember our good times and want to be my friend again. I'd give anything for that right about now. I was happy to have Tommy back in life but I knew I wouldn't be whole again until Jason became a part of it again too. It was bad enough I would never be completely whole without Trini here but I wasn't going to let Jason go without a fight.

After an hour of reflection, I rolled out of bed and grabbed the outfit I had set aside last night when I had been packing. Since we were unsure of how long we would be there, I had packed a good chunk of my wardrobe, including something nice (and of course, pink) to wear to the wedding. I pulled on the pale purple t-shirt and blue jeans, buttoning them as I walked over to my suitcase. Since we would be leaving for the airport from my session, we would be taking everything with us. I gave my room a once over again, making sure to grab my phone charger from next to my bed and shoving it into my suitcase. I headed out towards the living room and stopped in the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth. I heard Tommy moving around out in the front room as I rinsed my mouth out. Tucking my brush and tooth brush in my toiletry bag, I carried it out in my other hand and grabbed the handle of my suitcase. The wheels clicked as I walked into the living room.

"Morning. How did you sleep?" Tommy asked, looking up from his place on the floor. He was knelt down, folding his sleeping clothes up to put into his duffel bag.

"Okay, I guess. And you?" I replied, walking over to the coffee pot. I grabbed two travel mugs from the cupboard and set them on the counter in front of me. I had set the timer on the pot to brew for half an hour ago and I was pleased to see hot coffee in the pot. Grabbing the handle, I poured coffee in each of the cups.

"Can't complain. Do you need to stop for anything before we go to your appointment? I want to make sure we'll have enough time to get to the airport."

"Tommy, we'll have like six hours in between. I think we can manage it." I said, glancing at him over my shoulder.

"I know. I know. Sorry. I guess I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

"Why?" I asked, picking up the mugs and handing him one as he walked over to me. "You've seen everyone just before coming here."

"Not about that." He said, taking a sip of his coffee. "I'm nervous about your therapy session."

"Oh. That. Well, don't be. I'm the one she tries to figure out. I think you're safe." I took a sip of my own coffee. "I'm sure she just has somethings she wants to go over while I'm out of town. It's not a big deal."

"I'm just worried I won't be able to live up to the person you told her I was in your sessions." I laughed.

"What? Do you think I go there just to talk about you?" I asked, leaning against the arm of the couch. He shrugged.

"I don't know. I figure you like to complain about me somewhere."

"You think I go there to complain about you? Tommy, why on Earth would I be complaining about you? Is that what this is about? You're afraid that she thinks you're an asshole or something?"

"Maybe. I mean, Joey had that impression of me." I frowned.

"You've got me there. That's different though. I don't confide in her when I'm three sheets to the wind." I stood up and walked over to him. Setting my hand on his arm, I smiled. "Trust me. Of all the people I talk about, you aren't one I tend to be down about." Okay. That might not be entirely true but I wasn't about to tell him the truth.

"I feel a little bit better about it now. Here. I'll take the bags out." He walked over and set his coffee down on the end table next to the TV. Zipping up his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and walked over to my suitcase. I opened the door for him and he headed out to the truck. He returned a couple seconds later and I heard his truck running in the driveway. "Ready to go?"

"I suppose so." I did a quick tour of the house, making sure everything was unplug except for the fridge and the lamp I had set up on a timer to make it look like someone would be here after 9 pm. Grabbing our coffees, we headed out to the truck. It was a hot one today, nothing out of the ordinary. The sidewalk was searing through my shoes as I walked across it to the passenger side door. The handle was warm to the touch as I yanked it open. Careful to not drop my coffee, I climbed into the seat and pulled the door shut behind me. Tommy climbed in on the other side, sliding his cup into the cup holder underneath the radio console. Both of us put our seat belts on before he turned the engine on. In the mirror, I saw Maria and Marcus outside on their front lawn. Sugar and Spice were with them, rolling on the grass. Tommy backed out of the driveway and I rolled down my window.

"Have fun, Kim!" Maria called out, waving at us. "We'll take care of everything here."

"Thank you, guys. I'll be sure to get you something for when I come back." I replied, shooting her a wink.

"Better be a hot girl in a bikini!" Marcus called out, receiving a slap to the back of the head from his mother. Tommy laughed next to me, shaking his head as he tried his laughter from Maria.

"I swear to God, this boy will be the death of me yet." She said, glaring at her son. "Safe travels. Call me when you get in, alright?" She smiled at me. I nodded.

"I will. Call me if you need me." Reaching out, she put a hand on my arm that was resting on the window.

"Take care of yourself, dear. That's all we need you to do." I covered her hand with my other one and gave it a gentle squeeze.

* * *

"Wow." Tommy said, looking around the center room of the rehab facility. We had arrived a few moments ago, parking the truck in the parking lot and walking across the blazing black top to the nice cool air of the building. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye as I wrote our names down in the visitor log book.

"Yeah. It's nice, isn't it?" I asked, standing up straight. Danielle wasn't at her usual post. Her computer monitor was off and I noticed her purse was hanging off the filing cabinet behind the receptionist area. Maybe she had the day off or something. I walked towards the chairs along the walls of the room and sat down, Tommy sitting next to me. No one else was in the room. There were not group sessions until tonight, Dr. McAvoy trying to curb people who used to drink Friday nights to come here instead. I don't see where people would think group therapy was more fun than getting bombed at a bar but I understood her intentions. I wondered if she was married. I knew she had a son. She did have that picture of her with a man. Maybe that was her husband. Either way, I'm sure he hasn't seen her on a Friday night at a decent time since she opened this place.

"What are your sessions like?" Tommy asked, leaning on the back of the chair. He bounced the leg closest to me, bumping into my knee now and then.

"We just sit and talk about stuff. That's all." I replied. I reached out and put a firm hand on his knee. "Are you nervous again?"

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. I just feel like I'm facing a monster or something. I don't know why." He answered sheepishly. "What if she doesn't think I'm good for you to have in your life?"

"Thank she's just as insane as I am." I replied. "Tommy, you are good for me. Almost too good. No one is going to think you shouldn't be in my life. Hell, I thought that and you just had to come here and prove me wrong like normal."

"I do try my best." He smirked, sighing. Off in the distance, I heard a door close with a soft thud and soon, the sound of footsteps came towards us. Dr. McAvoy turned the corner and she smiled when she saw Tommy and I sitting there. She was in a black lace dress with a black cardigan over her shoulders. Her hair was pinned at the back of her head and she had a light layer of makeup on. I stood up as she approached, Tommy following suit.

"Hi, Dr. McAvoy." I said, returning her smile.

"Hello, Kimberly." She replied. She then turned to Tommy, holding out her hand. "You must be Tommy Oliver. I've heard a great deal about you. I'm very glad to finally meet you."

"You too." He said, shaking her hand. "Kimberly has told me a lot about your program. It sounds successful."

"It's what we aim for. Let's get to it, shall we? I know you two have a plane to catch." Turning, she walked up the hallway towards her office. I followed behind her and Tommy was close behind me, his footsteps matching mine. She opened the door to her office and held it open so we could enter. I walked over to the couch and sat down, keeping to the right side of it. Tommy sat next to me, making sure to keep a fair distance between us. He looked awkward and out of place here, something that almost made me laugh. Dr. McAvoy shut the door and walked towards us. Grabbing her notepad from the table, she sat in the chair across from us and crossed her legs. "Are we excited for the trip?" She asked.

"Excited? Try petrified." I replied, leaning into the back of the couch. "I'm glad to be going back to see everyone but I'm scared at the same time."

"That's understandable. What about you, Tommy? Are you excited about going back home?"

"I am. It's always fun to see old friends. Especially for a good reason." He replied. He shifting, looking uncomfortable as he did.

"Are you excited that you're bringing Kim back with you?" McAvoy asked.

"Erm…yeah. I am. I want to help her the best I can and I think this would help but I'm worried about her doing too much and maybe relapsing again. And what would I do if she does that? Who do I call? If she messes up, it would be all my fault for pressuring her. I really just want to help her but I could end up being the reason she doesn't get better. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that way the case." Tommy rambled. Dr. McAvoy smirked at me as he did. I reached out a hand and placed it on top of Tommy's that was on the couch between us. He stopped speaking, turning to look at me.

"Take a breath, handsome." I whispered, smiling. A blush filled his cheeks and he let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"No need to be sorry, Tommy. I'm glad you care about Kimberly enough to want to see her succeed. It's something she needs if she is going to do exactly that. I think this trip is something positive for her. And for you as well. You uprooted a part of your life to come down here to help her. That speaks a good volume of how much she means to you. She's lucky to have a friend like you in her life." Dr. McAvoy, jotted something down. "Besides the wedding, what do we have planned to do in Cali?"

"I think we'll go back and visit some friends in Angel Grove." I replied, releasing Tommy's hand. "I'm sure Tommy wants to see his house for a couple days as well."

"It'd be nice." He added.

"Speaking of friends, will you be trying to see Jason? I know the last we spoke, you were worried about confronting him for the first time since Trini's passing. Are you planning on speaking to him?" She asked, gazing at me over her glasses.

"I'm going to try." I said softly. "I'm not sure if he'll want to speak to me but if he does, I'm going to tell him the truth about everything."

"That's a big step. I think it'll be one of the biggest you'll have to take for recovery. It won't be an easy one either. But I feel like you'll have someone there to catch you if you fall trying to take it." She winked at Tommy. "I honestly wish I could go with you to help you through this, Kim. I'm not sure why but a part of me has become very invested in you. Maybe because I know how much you are going to succeed with us. Who knows?" Sighing, she set her pen down. "I'd like to speak to Tommy for a moment alone if that would be alright with you, Kimberly."

"Oh." I replied, surprised. "Yeah. Sure." I adjusted my shirt as I stood. Glancing at Tommy, he looked at me with a confused and anxious expression. "I'll wait in the hallway I guess."

"It won't take long." Dr. McAvoy said, standing. She led me to the door and opened it. Giving me a small smile, she stood there while I stepped out of it. She closed it after I took a couple steps. I stood by the door, hoping to hear what they were saying but I couldn't. I cursed her for thinking of a sound proof room before walking up the hallway slightly. Why did she need to speak to him alone? Was she going to tell him what I had said about my feelings for him? She couldn't do that though. She was my psychiatrist. That would be breaking her oath or something, right? My nerves were on edge now as I crossed my arms over my chest. I leaned against the wall across from a painting. It was some kind of water color bullshit with blues and greens, matching the feng shui of the rest of the building. I didn't like this. I didn't like know they were in there alone. It felt like people were conspiring against me, like when Joey and Tommy would talk about me without me knowing. I tried to mentally get a grip but it wasn't working. My mind raced with all the things they could possibly be discussing. What if she wanted him to check me into a psych ward out in California once we got there? Could he do that? I had no fucking clue what the procedure was for that.

It felt like an hour but the door opened again a short while later. Tommy stepped out first, Dr. McAvoy following behind him. I jolted up from my spot against the wall and stepped towards them. He said something to her I didn't quite catch but it made her smile and let out a light chuckle. She turned to face me when she noticed my presence standing in front of them. Folding her hands in front of her, she smiled brightly at me.

"Kimberly, I have no doubt that you are going to be in good hands out in California. I provided Tommy was our emergency contact numbers just in case something does happen and you need to speak to me. Please don't hesitate to reach out. I know this is scary but I really want you to break out of your comfort zone and make peace with everything that's happened. I believe that your friends want what's best for and that you're going to make great progress on this trip. Is there anything you need from me before you go?" She asked. Yeah, I full detailed explanation of what the two of you talked about.

"Not that I can think of." I replied, forcing a smile. She placed a hand on my shoulder and squared herself in front of me.

"Relax and enjoy yourself, okay? I mean, it's a vacation too. You deserve some time away. Again, I'm only a phone call away. I have some colleagues out there that could help if need be."

"I'll keep that in mind." I said, gripping the straps of my purse tightly. How had it gone from Tommy being the worried one to me being the one who was shitting bricks? He looked as happy as a clam now. He tucked his hands into his pockets as he watched McAvoy and me. I wanted to glare at him but I didn't. "Thank you, Dr. McAvoy."

"You're welcome. I'll let you go. I'm sure you have a hundred things to do before your plane. Travel safe." She said. Letting go of me, she shifted to face Tommy again. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Tommy. I hope I'll be seeing you again. Have a flight."

"Thank you. It was nice meeting you as well." He replied, returning her smile. I wanted to smack the both of them. The small amount of rationality was slowly slipping away as we stood here. "Ready?" He asked, turning to look at me.

"Yeah. Good-bye." I said, turning on my heel. I headed up the hallway towards the front doors. Tommy was behind me but I didn't here the good doctor behind him. I didn't bother to sign us out before pushing the front doors open. Digging into his pockets, Tommy pulled his keys out and we headed to the truck.

"She's nice. I think you picked a good program here." He said as we climbed into the cab of the truck.

"I guess so." I muttered, buckling myself in with the seatbelt. I tossed my purse on the floor and sat back in my seat. Calm down, I told myself. If you're going to find anything out about what they talked about, you can't act like a lunatic right now.

"So, what did she want to talk to you about?" I asked, eyeing him from the corner of my eye. Smooth.

"Huh?" He asked, turning over the ignition. I swear, Tommy was as thick as a door sometimes.

"Dr. McAvoy. What did she want to talk to you about?"

"Oh! That. She just wanted to go over some stuff to watch for while we were gone. Just signs of a relapse or whatever." He said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulder.

"Uh huh. Then why did she make me leave the room? That's nothing she couldn't say in front of me. It's not like I'm clueless to the fact I'm an alcoholic." I narrowed my eyes at him. "What aren't you telling me?"

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were a tad bit suspicious." He said, smirking towards me as he pulled the truck out of the parking lot and into traffic. My patience flew out the window.

"Well, yeah! She made me leave you two alone to talk about me. What did she say? What did you talk about? I have the right to know, Tommy!" I exclaimed.

"You are absolutely right." He replied, nodding.

"So, you're going to tell me?"

"Not a chance." Frustration and a small bit of panic washed over me. "It wasn't anything bad. Honestly, it was more about me than anything. She cares a lot about you, you know. I don't think she was lying when she said she has a lot invested in you and your success."

"You've known the woman for an hour and suddenly, you think she's next up for sainthood?" I snapped, glaring at him. "Why won't you tell me what you talked about?"

"You're not ready to hear it yet." He replied, switching lanes to head onto the on ramp for the highway.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that when you get back from our trip, you'll be ready for it." He stated. "Now, are we going to fight this whole trip or are we going to actually try to make the most of it? I know you're frustrated right now but it's nothing bad. I promise. We're not trying to go behind your back. It's going to help you in the long run. Just trust me, alright?"

"Trust you?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Yeah. Trust me. I mean, when have I ever steered you wrong about this kind of stuff?" Eyeing him, I tried to recall a time when Tommy didn't have my best interest in mind. Granted, there was that small bit about him not being completely honest about his reasons for coming down here but it wasn't like I have been truthful with him either. Hell, half the time he's been here I've lied to him. Sighing, I shifted so I was looking out the window.

"You're annoying."

"And you're cute when you're annoyed." He shot me a wink. "Next stop, Angel Grove!"


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Evening, folks! Hope you had a nice weekend. I enjoyed myself at Empire State Comic-con. It was so nice meeting Austin St. John (Jason) who literally spent twenty minutes talking to my husband and I. He asked me if I had been watching the newest season of PR and when I said no, he said any one who REALLY likes MMPR should be watching it because you never know WHO might show up in it. He wouldn't say anything else about it no matter how hard I begged him to lol. But I guess I will be watching it now. Has anyone seen it to tell me how it is? You guys might have known this but I've only ever watched MMPR and Dino Thunder, give or take a few episodes that Tommy was in throughout the years. But if something big is supposed to happen, I guys I can power through it.

Anyways, here is our next chapter. I hope you enjoy! Remember to R&R to let me know what you think. It is a great deal of build up and travelling, I apologize. But I do promise that we will be swan diving into a shit ton of drama coming up.

As always, I own nothing Power Rangers and have no rights to anything.

* * *

 _ **23.**_

The airport had been a nightmare from the moment we arrived. It took forever to find a parking spot in the lot meant for people leaving their vehicles and then when we did, the machine that took the money was broken. Tommy opted to just finding a person who was taking the information while I waited with our things at the sidewalk. By the time he made it back, we only had twenty minutes to make it through security and to boarding. It was close but we made it, out of breath by the time we handed our tickets to the woman behind the desk. We filed in with the rest of the people heading to California. I was pleased to only see one child in tow in front of us and they ended up in the front part of the plane. Tommy and I was shoved into the last two seats, something I was grateful for. We were inches from the bathroom and just around the corner from the stewardess kitchen.

Tommy had been nice enough to allow me to sit by the window. I hadn't been sure if I wanted to or not, part of me thinking that if I saw Angel Grove approaching, I might try to hop out the window. He assured me though, like he was able to read my mind, that I wouldn't be able to break the glass and my ass wouldn't make it through the opening if I had magically managed to do so. He shoved our things into the compartment above our heads, sitting down. The light for the seat belts flashed and we both clasped our. Ten short minutes later, we were careening down the run way. I felt the nose of the plane lift up and soon, we were airborne. Once the seat belt light was off, Tommy stood and opened up the compartment above us again. He pulled out a draw string bag with zipper on it from his suitcase. When he sat, he unzipped it and I noticed he had a music player of some sort in here along with a couple books.

"What are you reading?" I asked, nodding towards the bag.

"Nothing interesting really. I just grab one whenever I'm going on a plane. It helps me relax." He replied. Reaching over, I lifted a side of the bag and saw the cover for Jurassic Park on the book. It was a paperback that had seen better days. You could tell it had been read a lot, the cover slightly torn at the corners and bent from being held up while someone read it. I smirked, looking up at him.

"You and your dinosaurs." I said, grabbing the book and sitting back in my seat. He scoffed, shaking his head. I opened the front cover and saw someone had written something inside of there. _Congrats, Dr. O! Jason and I knew you had it in you. You can do anything you put your mind to. Love, Trini._ I felt my breath catch in my throat as I read it. Trini had written this. Trini had given him this.

"Kim?" He whispered, leaning in closer to me. "You okay?" I nodded, not saying anything as I ran my finger over her name, written in her handwriting.

"She was the best gift giver." I whispered back, a tear slipping down my cheek. I wiped it away with the back of my hand, sniffling.

"She was. I still have the Japanese painting of a green dragon she got me when we were in high school. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world. I was going to have it tattooed on me at one point."

"Why didn't you?" I asked.

"Cause most high school science teachers don't have tattoos." He replied, frowning. He laid his head back against his seat. "And well…needles."

"Oh that's right. I forget you're afraid of needles." I pulled my legs up so that my feet were under me. "Dr. Tommy Oliver, the bravest and longest running Power Ranger in history…is afraid of needles." I said softly.

"I'm not afraid of them. They just need to not poke me. That's all. I don't think that's much to ask for." He replied, smirking at me. "I know it's silly. I can't help it though. They give me the creeps."

"It's funny how some of our biggest fears can seem silly to others. I mean, I could probably have hundred needles poke me without flinching while you would run away from one. You could be able to walk into a room with all of our friends without a care in the world and I would rather nose dive out of this plan." I said, staring down at the book in my hand. "I'd love to be able to walk into that room and see her sitting there."

"I know. Me too. She will be there, Kim. She's always with you. I know you're not one for God and everything but you never know. Maybe there is some way that lets her be there with us all the time. I can't explain it but sometimes, I feel like she's around. Especially when I'm running through my kata or grading papers. It's weird."

"I get it. I mean it might not be the same but sometimes when I was really drunk, I would see her. I know she wasn't really there or anything but she would be at the back of the bar watching me sing. Once, she was in the bathroom with me and we were talking about you. I knew she wasn't really there but for a moment, she was." I took a deep breath. "Can I read this for awhile?" I asked, gazing up at him.

"Sure. I've read it about fifty times now. I swear it gets better each time. I have another book I can read." He fished the other book out of his bag and tucked the now empty bag under his seat. Settling in, he opened the book and turned towards the middle of it. I saw it was the sequel to Jurassic Park and I wondered for a moment if Trini had gotten him that as well. I didn't ask to see it though. Instead, I flipped to the first chapter and started reading.

It took about two hours for us to land in Houston where our layover would be. I was starting to feel cramped in our seats and I was relieved to have a reason to stretch. Tommy helped me carry our bags off the plane and we took refuge from the chaos of the bustling airport in a small eatery around the corner from our boarding area. People were littered through the airport, talking on cell phones and waiting for their flights. I was guessing it would be late by the time we landing in California. I was already exhausted, my eyes hurting a little from reading on the plane. I had gotten pretty far in the book, the scientists making it to the island and beginning the tour of the research facilities. Though I had never seen the movie, I suspected the book went into further detail of the island and the creatures that roamed it. I had to admit that I was hopeful to read about a pterodactyl before we landed. I wasn't that lucky though. I'm sure I would come across one before we landed again.

"Are you hungry?" Tommy asked, tucking his legs underneath the small table between us. Our suitcases were behind me, both of them tied together with a tied he had pulled from his. I wasn't sure if he thought someone would try to walk off with them or if he thought he could stop me from running if I couldn't bring my suitcase with me. I gave him an A+ in effort for that idea at least.

"I can wait until we get there. Airport food is gross and super expensive." I replied, stretching my arms above me head. "Unless you can't wait."

"I think I can manage. Though, coffee would be amazing. I'll get you a cup too." He said, standing. I nodded and watched him as he walked over to the counter. There were display cases of different desserts placed on the counter and the guy behind it appeared to be in his early twenties. His hair was blonde and cut short, tucked under the rim of a light blue visor. I couldn't hear them but Tommy said something and the guy grabbed two medium sized cups and wrote something on the side of them. Turning, he walked over to the coffee pot and pour the hot liquid into the empty cups. Reaching into his back pocket, Tommy pulled his wallet out and fished a twenty from inside. As he did, I saw something fall out and land by his feet.

"Tommy!" I called out, trying to get his attention. He didn't hear me though over the noise of the airport. I tried again but he didn't move as though he had heard it. Standing, I walked towards him. The barista returned with our coffees and set them on the counter. Tommy handed him the money as I reach him. Bending down, I grabbed what had fallen. To my surprise, it was a picture of me. Tommy looked over at me, surprised to see me standing there. As I stood, I looked at the picture. It really was of me. It had been one of the professional pictures my mother had made me do when I was younger. She had insisted on getting them done before she moved to Paris. I don't know why. Maybe she thought she was going to forget my face or something. But I was standing in Angel Grove park by the rows of cherry blossoms that bloomed brightly every spring. I was smiling, my nose crinkling the way it always does that I hated. I was wearing a pink summer dress with flowers printed all over it. I couldn't even remember the last time I had seen this picture. I had always hated it. I do recall when I gave Tommy this picture though. He had come over to Aisha's house after we had gotten them back and I was telling him how much I hated it. He asked if I could have one and even though I protested, I gave him one. Turning it over in my hand, I saw that the heart and my signature were still there. The photo was worn, as if it had been in his wallet for a life time.

"Old habits die hard I suppose." Tommy said, gingerly taking the picture from my hand. He opened his wallet and tucked it inside of the billfold with the change from the barista. He held out my cup of coffee. "Thanks."

"Yeah." I replied, feeling a weird sensation coming over me. Had I been wrong about Tommy before? I know I had said that he had only come down because Jason made him. Was there a chance that he only used that as an excuse? Did he really come down to find me and fix what I had broken between us? Tommy walked passed me and strode over to our table. I followed, sitting across from him. A silence fell over us as we sipped our coffee, though it was too hot for my tongue to handle. After a few moments, he sighed and turned in his chair to face me.

"I know. It's creepy." He said, leaning on the table. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked. "It's not creepy. I gave it to you."

"When we were 16. That was like a lifetime ago though. And at least one break up ago." He replied, gazing down at his coffee cup.

"So what? If it doesn't bother me, you shouldn't be ashamed of it. Besides, it just means I need to give you a more updated picture of me. Especially one that doesn't look like it belongs in the intro of a nineties sitcom." He laughed, scratching his arm.

"It's not that bad. You should see my senior picture. My mother pulled out all the stops to make sure it was embarrassing."

"Well, that's something that I'm going to have to see then. Are we heading back to your place tonight after we land?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No. It's still quite a drive to Reefside from Angel Grove. I figured we could get a hotel if you aren't up for staying with Rocky and Aisha yet." I bit my lip, pretending to be interested in my coffee lid. "It's fine, Kim. Like I said, I figured you wouldn't want to. It's not a big deal. I'll book us a room somewhere while we're on the plane."

"Thank you." I said, setting my cup down on the table. "I know I say it a lot recently and I'll probably keep saying it but thank you so much for everything you've done for me and continue to do for me. I think you're insane for putting up with me for this long, Tommy. I appreciate it though. Not many people would."

"And like I told you before, you don't have to thank me. I'm just trying to be a good friend to you." He shifted in his chair, leaning his elbows on the table. "That is…unless you're willing to discuss the whole more than friends idea yet."

"Nice try." I said, smirking at him. I took a sip of the coffee now that it was cool enough to drink. He sighed, hanging his head.

"That's all a guy can do, right?" He muttered.

"It's not that I don't want to be with you, Tommy. I just don't think you can handle all the shit that comes in the neat little hand bag of which is my life." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "You've only been here a few weeks and you've seen how fucked I can be. Do you really want to commit to someone like that?"

"Yeah. I am." He answered, making me pause mid sip. I brought the cup back down and looked at him.

"We live 3,000 miles apart."

"We can make it work."

"Really? As I recall, that didn't work so well that last time." I said, flatly. "I should know. I'm the one who ended things."

"Because we were kids and didn't have a clue how the real world worked. I think as two grown adults, we can manage a long distance relationship." Crossing my arms, I sat back in the chair. He was serious about it. There was a look of determination on his features as I realized how much he wanted us to be together. It made my heart beat faster but also hurt at the same time.

"Then what? We're just going to be long distance forever? My life is in Florida. Your life is in California. One of us would have to make the decision to move and it wouldn't be fair to expect that of anyone."

"I'll move." He stated, putting his hands on the table top. "There are plenty of schools in Florida. Or I could even work at a museum." I shook my head.

"I can't ask you to do that. All of your friends are in Cali. Your mom is in Cali. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate her son moving to the other side of the country for the girl who broke his heart all those years ago."

"None of that matters, Kim. They have planes and busses and everyone I know can figure out how to work a pen and a phone." Reaching across the table, he grabbed my hand. "I would bend over backwards, fight off Goldar blindfolded, and face a thousand needles if it meant being with you."

"All at the same time or is that something you have planned for a day while we're in town?" I asked, smirking at him. He intertwined our fingers together and chuckled.

"I don't know. I guess that depends on how you feel about it."

"Lets see how this trip goes. I mean, if things go well, maybe it's something that can work out. If not, then we at least won't have to worry about things ending in an ugly way. And well, you know how things typically end up for us."

"Kimberly Ann Hart, always the optimistic."

* * *

We boarded our next flight a little before 9 PM. This one was a smaller plane and thankfully, not a child to be found. We found our seats and set ourselves up again. I had kept the book out but I didn't end up reading it. Instead, I fell asleep on Tommy's shoulder. Sleeping the whole two hour flight, I was surprised when he woke me up in Los Angeles. I was also a bit dazed, forgetting where I was for a brief moment while he shoved all our things into our begs and helped me off the plane. I managed to wake up fully as we came off the terminal and into the actual airport. It was nearing midnight and my neck was killing me from the cramped position I had slept on the plane. Tommy handed me my suitcase so that he could pull his keys from the front of his bag.

"Wanna get some food before heading to the hotel?" He asked as we walked towards the from of LAX. I nodded, rubbing my neck.

"That sounds amazing. Did you get a hotel booked?" Nodding, he led me out the automatic doors that opened up on to the busy street. Even at the late hour, people were bustling in and out of the airport. Most were pulling luggage behind them, some talking on cell phones. Above us, I saw the dark sky and lights that blinked on the planes that passed overhead. They mixed in well with the stars, a building off in the distance had it's lights on as well. To the left, I could make out the glow of LA. It wasn't dull or just an illumination. It was like a spot light shining up from the Earth. I took a deep breath, taking in the salt water in the air. The ocean wasn't too far from the airport, almost like a jump, hop, and a skip away past the fence that outlined the tarmac area. If it wasn't for all the bustling of people and the traffic, you might actually have been able to hear it.

"C'mon." He said, walking across the street and heading for the parking lot. I followed behind him, looking around me as we walked. He headed for the parking lot reserved for travelers and I saw he was bee lining it for a jeep. It was a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, the paint still looking shiny. It would probably be shinier if it wasn't coated in a light layer of mud behind the wheel wells. The top was a removable leather that he had tacked on for added security. Hitting a button on his keys, the lights flashed and I heard the doors unlock. "Give me a second." He said, heading right to the passenger side. Opening the door, he leaned in and I saw things being thrown over the seat into the back storage part. I smirked, wondering if he was still a bit of a slob like I remembered in school.

"Should I call the sanitation department?" I asked, leaning in trying to see. He stood up, six empty or near empty water bottles in hand.

"Oh, ha ha. Get it. I'll get your suitcase." He muttered, stepping aside to let me through. I did as he told me, tucking my purse into my side as I climbed in. The leather seat felt warm under me as I shut the door. I didn't know why he had made such a big deal about it. The jeep was pretty much spotless on the dash board, a couple flecks of dust here or there from sitting. I could smell his aftershave in the vehicle, it washing over me like a pleasant wave. I clicked the seat belt and heard as he opened the back hatch and put our bags back there. He shut it, appearing on the driver side a few minutes later. He opened the door and climbed in, pulling his seat belt on.

"I hope your battery isn't dead." I said, stretching in my seat. "It's been sitting here for so long."

"It should be fine." He replied, putting his key in the ignition. Turning it, the Jeep hesitated to start. He did it again, the same result. The third time around, the Jeep gave in and came to life. "She's getting older. I think it might be time to trade her in soon."

"It's nice. How long have you had it?" I asked as he backed out of his spot and joined the long line of cars heading out of the parking lot.

"Since I left the Turbo team. It was a present to myself with the earnings I made from racing. I traded in my first truck for her."

"I loved that truck." I said, gazing out the window. We neared the exit for the highway now, soon we would be on the actual road.

"Me too. She needed too much work though. The jeep was great when I was with the dino Thunder team. We did some much work off road and it came in handy. And it could take a beating better than any other kind of car I suppose."

"Which is important for any ranger." I laughed, glancing over my shoulder at him.

"It is. They should grade vehicles in how well they can withstand monster attacks around here. It's an ingenious idea." He replied, turning onto the highway. He sped up to 65 mph, heading towards the sign that said Angel Grove above it. My stomach flopped and I shifted my eyes away from it.

"I'm sure by now they have that covered with insurance companies." I said, trying to keep my mind off the fact we were heading to the one place I never said I would go again.

"Imagine having to explain that to an insurance agent. 'Hi. A giant monster the shape of a gold monkey stepped on my truck today. I'd like to make a claim.' Maybe I went into the wrong field."

"No. You just stop the attacks. You don't help pay for the damages." I laughed, feeling the tension between my shoulders begin to slip away. Tommy stopped at a fast food joint and we grabbed something to go before heading to our hotel. It was a small Holiday Inn on the outskirts of Angel Grove. He said it was the best he could manage in such a short notice but I was just grateful for the chance to lay down somewhere. He pulled into the parking lot and parked his jeep in a spot towards the front of the building. Grabbing the bags on food and my purse, I climbed out of the car and walked towards the back of it.

"I'm going to check in. I'll be right back." He said, nodding towards the front of the building. It wasn't anything fancy. The hotel reminded me of an L-shape. The front entrance was right at the elbow of it, rooms going either directions from it. Turning, I looked up the road towards Angel Grove. Like LA, there was a glow above the trees where the city was. It wasn't as bright as LA, however. This was a slight glow that told you there were street lights lighting up the roads while people slept in their homes. I could imagine the middle of town being dead as people slept for work or school tomorrow. The only people up would be those who worked overnights for the mill on the other side of town. The park would be empty but you couldn't probably still here frogs croaking in the pound or the rustle of leaves in the trees. There was still the smell of the ocean in the air here and unlike before, I could hear it in the distance. Angel Grove, with it's now peaceful streets and sea salt air, was sitting here waiting for me to come back.

I was home.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Hi everyone. Here's another update. Hope you enjoy! I'm not sure I mentioned this before but in this fic, the Turbo movie did not happen. Billy never had that weird aging issue and he lives on Earth. :)

* * *

 _ **24.**_

Surprisingly, I slept like a baby that night. Tommy was able to get us a room with two queen sized beds in it and I was out like a light a couple minutes after putting my head to the pillow. It was a deep, dreamless sleep, one that let me get some much needed rest. I didn't wake up until Tommy shook me awake the next morning. I was a bit sad to be awake, enjoying the comfort I was getting. But, I rolled myself out of bed and took a shower. He went down to the little wannabe fitness center to work out to give me some space. When he returned, we checked out the little breakfast they had set out. It was nothing fancy; a bowl of fruit with an older than dirt toaster and hard bagels. I opted for a banana while Tommy braved a bagel he had to saw apart with a plastic butter knife. After eating, he took a turn in the shower while I waited in the room. He emerged a few moments later, drying his hair and chest off.

"So, what first?" He asked, eyeing me around the tan colored towel. I looked over at him from my spot on the bed and sighed.

"I suppose we could start ripping off band aids. Who can we go see first?" I replied. He tossed the dirty towel on the back of the chair next to him and grabbed his white t-shirt from the top of the dresser.

"I think I have an idea. Get your things." He smiled, scooping up his wallet and cell phone. He shoved both into the back pockets of his jeans before getting his keys and the room key. I grabbed my purse and slid my feet into the light pink flip flops I had packed. They matched the blue jean shorts I was wearing as well as the pink tank top I had decided on after fifteen minutes in the bathroom this morning. I don't know why I had stressed so much over my outfit. It wasn't like Adam, Billy, Rocky or Zack were going to care what I was wearing. I just wanted it to be perfect though. I didn't come all this way to ruin their wedding by fucking things up on Day 1.

Tommy led me outside and down to the jeep where it was parked in the spot we had left it last night. It was hot out already but not a wet, choking heat like in Florida. This was more of a pleasant summer day, the sun kissing my skin without making me feel like someone was smothering me with a wet rag. Tommy pulled the top off his jeep and shoved it under the backseats in the storage compartment. As we climbed in, he pulled two pairs of sun glasses from the glove box. "Here." He said, handing me one. "You'll want these. Trust me."

"Thanks." I replied, taking the pair of knock off Ray Bands from his hand and sliding them on my face. He put on the other pair, an older looking pair of Aviators with a silver finish, and started the engine. Pulling out of the parking lot carefully, he headed down the highway that headed to the heart of Angel Grove.

"How you feeling about this?" He called over the window that was tossing my hair everywhere around my head.

"Like I'm going to hurl." I responded, turning towards him. "But I mean, it's not something either one of us hasn't seen before, right?"

"Sadly." He shot back, smiling. Reaching over, he turned the radio on and the beginning cords of a Green Day song began to play over the speakers. The wind carried a good deal of the music away but I could hear the melody still for one of their newer songs. I recognized it from the stations down in Florida and the jukebox. I drummed my fingers on my thighs, gazing out at the passing trees as we drove. They were beginning to thin out as more and more houses popped up. A sign came up on the right, cursive writing welcoming me to Angel Grove. Underneath that, it said 'The Home of the Power Rangers.' I rolled my eyes, turning my head towards Tommy.

"I see they still use that as their tourism slogan." I said.

"Of course! People still come every year for Power Ranger Day. You should get Joey out here one year for that. He would die." I nodded.

"That he would. Sometimes, I wish I could morph still so I could do it right in front of him. I think he would keel over right then."

"I think you're right about that." I felt Tommy reduce his speed as we went further into town. There were far less trees now and more houses lined up next to each other. Street signs appeared and we came to a stop at the intersection of Maple and Gove streets. I knew if you took a left and then a sharp right, you'd find yourself in the parking lot of the school. If you went right and then left, you'd be at the front entrance of the park. Straight ahead, you would be in the middle of the business district of Angel Grove where the Youth Center used to be. The three main staples of my childhood, laid out before me right now. Tommy checked to make sure it was safe to go before making a left hand turn.

"Where are we going?" I asked, turning the music down.

"Well, you said you wanted to start off with someone easy. This is the easiest person I could think of." He replied, turning into the driveway of a home two blocks up. I didn't recognize it at first, the light blue siding seeming to be faded and the white shutters looked as if they needed a good pressure washing. I didn't realize where we were until I looked towards the back of the house and saw the garage. To my surprise, there was a Volks Wagon Beetle parked there and a man's body sticking out from underneath it. The man shifted as Tommy killed the engine of his jeep and pocket the keys. Undoing his seat belt, he pulled himself out of the jeep as Billy Cranston stood up from his place in the drive way.

"Greetings, Tommy!" Billy called out, waving towards his old friend. "I had heard you would not be attending the nuptials this week."

"A couple things came up that changed my mind." He called back, looking towards me. I was still glued to my seat, not willing to move yet. Leaning over, he undid my seat belt and looked at me. "You can do this. It's just Billy. Remember? You're best friend since the 2nd grade who would never hurt a fly."

"Right." I whispered, nodding. I slid the belt off of me and slowly climbed out of the vehicle. Billy squinted in my direction, his blue eyes the same shade since the last time I had seen them. They weren't hidden behind glasses now though. His short blonde hair was messy around his head from working under the car but he still looked like a genius to me.

"Kimberly?" He asked, realization coming over his features.

"Hi, Billy." I called out meekly. A brilliant smile broke out across his face as he jogged towards me. I was surprised when he reached out and picked me up out of the jeep in a tight hug.

"It's great to see you! What a tremendous occasion." He said, holding me tightly against him. I could feel the snaps of the dark blue coveralls he was wearing digging into me from the force of the hug.

"Really?" I asked as he pulled away slightly.

"Of course! Please, come in. I can make some tea or lemonade so we can catch up." He pulled a rag from the pocket of his coveralls and wiped his hands clean of grease. He turned towards his house, one where he's lived since I've known him, and headed up the four steps that led to the backdoor. I followed behind him, Tommy close to me as he followed me. Inside the screen door, we found ourselves standing in the Cranston kitchen. The walls were the same pale yellow color that I remembered and the cupboard were a beige color that was supposed to be white. There was a black fridge in the corner of the room, the only thing I didn't recall from our childhood. There was a small wooden kitchen table next to it with four chairs on each side. Billy nodded towards the table as he walked over to the sink. Opening a cabinet door, he pulled out three glasses with sunflowers painted on them.

"How's your father?" I asked, sitting in one of the chairs.

"Temporarily, he's been admitted into an assisted living facility. He recently suffered an aortic phenomenon so he needs medical care I can't provide for him." He replied, setting the glasses of the table. I glanced over at Tommy who sat next to me.

"He had a heart attack last month." He explained. I nodded, forgetting how much I missed not being able to understand Billy without a translator.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is he going to be alright?"

"Affirmative." He said, walking over to the fridge. Pulling the door open, he bent down and grabbed a pitcher of lemonade. Shutting the door again, he settled into the chair between Tommy and I. "He requires medical care for now until he is able to perform basic motor functions without assistance. He's not very pleased about the predicament but we're trying to make the most of it."

"That's good to hear. What have you been up to?" I asked. Billy poured lemonade into each glass, handing one to each of us.

"Currently, I'm a professor of forensics science at Berkley. It's while I'm here in Angel Grove to assist my father. After, I'll return to my position as head forensics analysis for the FBI in Nevada." He replied.

"You work for the FBI? No way!" I exclaimed, smiling. "I thought you were trying to become a physicist."

"I was but I redacted that decision due to certain events." He responded, looking down at his lemonade. "I couldn't fathom doing it without Trini."

"That's right. You were in the same program as Trini. I forgot about that." I said, frowning. Billy had quit his dream job because of Trini dying. Maybe I wasn't the only one who was having a rough time dealing with her death.

"Affirmative. All is well though. I enjoy my profession. And you? I heard you were an entertainer." He said, smiling at me as he took a sip of his lemonade.

"An entertainer? That makes me sound like a stripper, Tommy." I said, shooting him a glare across the table. He shrugged, pretending to be interested in something under his nail. "I used to sing at a bar in town. When I wasn't singing, I was tending bar. Nothing special, really."

"I think it's tremendous you are pursuing a dream you had as a child. I can recall you performing musical events for our stuff animals during playtime on most days." He stated, sitting back in his chair. I smiled, nodding.

"Those were the days, right? Your poor father had to listen to me shriek the whole time. He's a saint, that's for sure."

"Quite certainly. Tommy, how has Florida been for you? Jason informed me that you were making the trek down there." Billy asked, turning to face Tommy. As I looked at him, I saw that he had some slight signs of aging to his features. There were crows feet forming in the corner of his eyes as well as some creases on his forehead. His hair line also seemed to be receding backwards but he still had his sweet, boyish smile to him when he laughed. It was something I always liked about Billy. No matter how nerdy or geeky people saw him, he was still adorable as could be. He was also dependable and a good asset when he was on our team.

"It's been an adventure, I'll say." Tommy replied, smirking at me. "But, I've enjoyed some time away. Thanks for keeping an eye on things while I was gone. Shouldn't be much longer now. Once I'm back, I can bring my equipment home and figure out what to do with it."

"It's no issue. I've been frequenting your interface system to secure it's location." Billy said, crossing his arms.

"I was hoping you would. I was a bit worried about the system not being able to handle anymore information uploaded to it. I suppose I could get a removable hard drive." Tommy stated, sipping the lemonade.

"Affirmative. It would provide you with adequate space and flexibility necessary to command such a system."

"Guys, could we speak in English, please?" I asked, leaning my elbows on the table.

"What? Oh. My apologizes." Billy said, red flushing to his cheeks. "It's been a while since I needed to be translated. Tommy has quite the impressive computer system and I was helping him make sure everything on it was safe from people who might try to steal it."

"Not that anyone would try to." Tommy said, seeing the worry on my features. "No one who would want to the information for evil is even around to do that anymore. We defeated our enemies with the last bit of powers we had left with the dino gems. The only ones who even know about my system were Rangers. I think it's safe. I appreciate it, Billy."

"Any time. Does anyone else know you've come back to town?" Billy asked, turning back to face me. I shook my head.

"No. We just got in last night."

"Excellent." Billy reached over and put a hand over mine. "I apologize for not reaching out to you more, Kimberly. I assumed you would have preferred space during your grieving period. If I had known the tremendous amount of psychological issues you were dealing with, know I would have come much sooner."

"It's fine, Billy. I get it. I secluded myself down there so it was my own fault. Besides, no one says you can't come visit it me." I smiled, a part of it forced. I was beginning to realize that the guys might know more about me than Tommy had let on. Like, all of it. A part of me felt like I should have been more angry with him but the other part was more relieved by the fact I wouldn't have to repeat myself five more times to tell what had caused me to drop off the fact of the Earth like I didn't exist anymore.

"Correct. I believe my father would love to visit Florida as well. We could make a vacation out of it. Am I correct in assuming you will not be returning to Angel Grove to reside then?" I shook my head.

"As shitty as it may be, I do have a life in Florida. I have great friends down there who have been helping me out. I can't uproot my life to come back here. It'll be too hard."

"Understandable. Just know you always have somewhere to go if you change your mind."

Tommy and I spent a couple hours with Billy catching it. It was nice, sitting with an old friend and not feeling as guilty as I felt I should have before. Tommy had been right about choosing Billy first. He was the easiest friend to face. Billy made us some sandwiches for lunch which we ate and discussed old times on the Rangers. I noticed as we talked that both of them stayed away from the topic of Trini as much as possible. Billy had only mentioned her once when we were talking about the monster who made us face our worst fears on the Island of Illusions. He quickly changed the subject though after a coupled of seconds, talking about another monster we faced. We said our farewells in a little while after that, promising Billy we would get dinner with him the next day. He asked Tommy to go with him to get his tux for the wedding on Monday and Tommy agreed. We climbed into the Jeep and Tommy backed out of the driveway carefully.

"That wasn't too bad, was it?" He asked, looking behind him to make sure the coast was clear on either side. I shook my head.

"No. Billy was a good idea. He looks great, too. I'm happy for him." I replied, folding my hands in my lap. Tommy pulled into the street and headed north towards the center of town.

"He's doing a lot better now. When Trini died, he took it really hard. I think it had a lot to do with the fact they were so close and they spent every day together. He never even made it back to the school after her accident. He dropped out the next day over the phone. We tried our best to convince him to go back but he said he just couldn't imagine completing his work without her there to help him."

"Poor Billy. I hope some day he can find a way to go back to it. That's what Trini would have wanted him to do." I replied.

"I know. That's what I try to tell him. He doesn't really like to talk about her anymore. He clams right up when you mention her name as you might of noticed. He's doing good now though. He looks after his Dad and does his best to make sure he has everything he needs. It's been a rough year for him but he's finally found some footing again. He had me worried for a bit but it's good to see him in a good place now."

"I'm glad." Guilt sunk into my chest. I should have been there for Billy. I never even thought about how he would have taken the news. Instead, I was more concerned about myself. There goes Kimberly being selfish yet again. Someday, I will need to figure out a way to kick my own ass. I deserved it, that's for sure.

"What now? Do you want to head back to the hotel? Are you tired?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's 2 pm on a Saturday afternoon, Tommy. How old do you think I am?" I smirked and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Last time I try to be nice then." He pouted.

"Bullshit." I sighed, gazing out the window. "Do you think Rocky and Aisha would be home?"

"I think so. I know he has classes in the morning on Saturdays but he should be home by now. You want to go there?"

"Might as well rip the Band-Aid off, shall we?" I responded, not turning to look at him. I knew he would have that concerned look on his face that he usually does when I have an idea like this. I knew it was a crazy notion to go there right after seeing Billy. I had to though. I had to do it now when I still had some of the nice feeling from seeing Billy in me. If not, there was a good chance I would never do it. And it wasn't like we were going to face off with Jason. That wouldn't be today. Hell, I didn't even think it would be this week. I gave myself a two week window and it might not happen until five minutes before I get back on the plane to head home if I had my way.

"No one said you had to do it all in one day, though. I mean, we could do other things. Zach won't be in until Wednesday and I'm sure Adam around that time as well. We could avoid everyone else until then." I shook my head. Leave it to him to try to make this easier for me. I appreciated Tommy for it but it would only make things harder. Before coming down here, I was dragging my feet about everything. Now, I just wanted to hurry up and get it done. I understood why he would try to soften the blow but this was why I came down here. I needed the shock of what I had done to wake me up to the fact I was a shitty person that needed the help. I didn't need coddling. I needed a big dose of reality to make myself aware of what I had done. Of what I had caused to make me want to drink myself to almost death every night.

"No. It wouldn't be fair to them for me to be back without going to see them before things start getting really hectic with their wedding. It's better to go now and figure out I can't do this than waiting to the last minute to have a panic attack. Does that make sense?" I whispered, finally braving a glance in his direction.

"Yeah. It does. Alright. Let's do this then." He turned his directional light on and headed away from the park. "They moved into her grandmother's house about two months after Trini died. Her grandmother decided to move in with Aisha's parents when she was having troubles do the stairs at her house. Rocky and Adam have been doing a lot of work on it to fix it up some. Rocky might be thick but he sure knows what he's doing with a hammer and a nail."

"He always was. What is he doing now?"

"He runs a dojo here in town. It's something he was working on after he left the team. He hurt his back pretty badly towards the end so he had no choice but to step down. He can't fight as much as he would like to but he can teach. He has a good amount of classes with decent head counts. He's doing well for himself." Tommy turned down Washington Street and I felt my chest grow heavier. Maybe I was wrong.

"And Aisha?"

"You can ask her yourself." He replied, putting the jeep in park against the curb. "We're here."


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Happy Friday! Or would it just be Good Friday? Who knows! Anyway, due to the holiday weekend I'm giving you guys TWO chapters. I am pretty sure you will enjoy them. :) Hope you guys have a Happy Easter if you celebrate it. As always, I appreciate you and remember to R&R!

* * *

 _ **25.**_

I saw that Tommy was right. We were indeed parked outside of Grandma Campbell's house. He had also been right about them fixing it up. Though it was still the same two story house with a yellow finish on the outside, the shutters had been redone with a white color and flower beds filled with beautiful flowers lined the wrap around porch where Aisha and I used to sit during the summer when we would visit with her grandmother. The railing had also been repainted along with the floor boards of the porch, both almost shining with how white they looked. The front door was the same solid oak door that had been there when I was here last. Brass numbers still hung over the door, telling everyone who passed that this was indeed 439 Washington Street. Sweat instantly formed in my palms as my mouth went dry.

"One step at a time, okay?" Tommy said, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I can drive around the block a couple times if you want."

"Yeah. Do that." I replied, not being able to bring myself to move. He nodded, pulling away from the curb and heading towards the corner. Tommy did four laps around the block, the house going around each time. It didn't magically disappear no matter how hard I tried to make it. I was hoping we would round the corner and it would suddenly be gone, the only trace of it a few pipes in the ground. There it still stood though, not seeming to budge an inch. The red Buick was still in the driveway and the garage was still intact.

"Again?" Tommy asked. I shook my head.

"No. Someone will call the cops if we keep this up." I muttered. "Lets just get this done."

"Okay." He pulled up to the same curb as before, killing the engine. Everything fell silent, the only noise coming from a couple birds in the tree at the neighbors house. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. I had to do this. It was the whole reason I came here. Without a word, I opened my eyes and popped the door open. Tommy climbed out and met me on the sidewalk. He pushed my door shut for me and we both turned towards the house. "You okay?"

"No but oh well."

"Like I said, we don't have to do this today. We can just get back in the car and head back." He said, putting his hands in his pockets as he turned to face me.

"Or you could drive around the block three more times." A man's voice said behind Tommy. I recognized Rocky DeSantos' voice in a heartbeat and knew I was right before Tommy even turned around. The young man was standing on the porch, looking over the railing at us. There was a cocky grin on his face as he leaned down on the railing. "Thought we had someone scoping out the place."

"Hey, Rocky." Tommy said, walking up the porch steps. Rocky walked over to him, the slight breeze in the air ruffling his blue t-shirt. He work khaki shorts on his legs and no shoes on his feet. His brown hair was trimmed short but looked messy as if he had just woken up. The boys hugged as I slowly came up the porch steps behind Tommy.

"Good to see you, man." Rocky said, pulling back from Tommy. Tommy stepped aside, allowing Rocky to see me. He didn't move forward to hug me. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet. "Hey, Kimmy."

"Hey." I replied, not sure of what else to say. Why wasn't he hugging me? Rocky ALWAYS hugs me when he sees me. I had fucked up, hadn't I?

"You okay?" He asked, finally gazing up at me. "I mean, with everything going on."

"I will be." I replied. "I'm so happy for you and Aisha. Sorry I didn't call before."

"I know. We understand. I'm just glad you're here now." A broad smile filled his cheeks and he stepped towards me. "Can I give you a hug?"

"Have you ever had to ask before?" I replied, smiling up at him. He shrugged, pulling his hands from his pockets and wrapping them around me in a hug. I squeezed him tightly, fighting back tears. He rubbed my back before setting me down.

"You look good. Better than this guy at least." He pointed at Tommy over his shoulder. "I mean, it's hard not to I suppose."

"Shut it, Rocko." Tommy muttered, shaking his head. "Where's your better half?"

"She had to run to the store quick. Why didn't you tell me that you guys were coming?" He asked, opening the front door. He stepped inside, allowing us to enter. It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the darker interior of the house from the bright sun outside. I saw we were in the living room once they adjusted. The walls were a beautiful light shade of purple with a black leather couch to match it. Hardwood floors ran the length of the room, heading into the hallway that I knew went to the dining room and kitchen. There was an entertainment center set up with a big screen television and various pictures.

"Wouldn't have been a surprise then." Tommy said, closing the door behind him. Rocky pointed to the couch, gesturing for us to sit. He opted for the matching leather chair adjacent from us. Tommy said on the far end of the couch and I sat on the opposite end.

"Aisha is going to freak when she sees you. How have you been, Kimmy? I know some of the stuff that Tommy told us about but I would like to hear it from you."

"How about we wait until Aisha gets back for that so I don't have to explain it twice? How have you been? You have your own dojo now? That's exciting!" I said, changing the subject. He grinned, nodding.

"I do. It's my baby. After Ernie from the Youth Center passed away, they were looking for someone to rent the space. I decided to do it and opened up shop. I don't have all of the center. The other half is a yoga study but I have a good part of the building. It's great. I love owning my own business and I love working with my students. Especially the kids. You should come by and see it while you're here! You'll love it." He replied, sitting back in the chair. In the distance, I could hear the engine of a car and it pulled into the driveway outside of the living room window. "There's Aisha. Prepare yourself. She's going to scream." He said, standing. He disappeared to the front door, just out of sight. Shifting in my seat, I turned to face Tommy.

"You're doing good." He said, giving me a confident smile.

"I haven't done anything yet, coach." I mused, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Is sarcasm a side affect of withdrawal? Cause I'm pretty sure you've done it more since you've stopped drinking." He replied. I shrugged.

"Who knows? Maybe you're just not too great with your bedside manner as you thought." The sound of footsteps coming up the porch echoed up the hallway and I could hear Rocky say something. A couple minutes later, he walked back into the room.

"I got you a surprise, babe." He said over his shoulder. Stepping out of the door way to the left, he reveal a very annoyed looking Aisha Campbell. The petite African American woman glared at Rocky as she did her best to carry two grocery bags full of items. She was dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a green floral blouse, the straps tying around her neck. Her brown hair was braided as usually, tucked into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her brown eyes landed on Tommy first and she smiled. I must have caught her attention though because her eyes darted to me. They widened as realization set in that I was indeed sitting on her couch. Rocky was able to catch one of the bags as she dropped them but the other landed on the floor. She leapt over it and sprinted straight towards me. I stood up but she tackled me to the couch in a tight hug.

"Oh my god!" She squealed, squeezing me tightly. Tears did come this time and I didn't bother to try to stop them. I wrapped my arms around Aisha and returned the embrace. I could hear her let out a sniffle in my ear as she shifted to sit next to me. Laughing, she pulled away slightly to hold me at arms length. "You look so good! How are you? What are you doing here? Why didn't anyone tell me you were coming back?" She asked, glaring over me at Tommy.

"I told him not to." I said, coming to Tommy's defense. "I wasn't too sure how excited you guys would be to see me again."

"Are you off your rocker? Of course we're excited to see you!" She exclaimed, hugging me again. "Tell me about Florida." She said, pulling away again and leaning against the arm of the couch.

"Yeah. You said you would tell us once Aisha got home." Rocky said, cleaning up the groceries that Aisha had dropped. He disappeared into the kitchen with them, returning a couple minutes later.

"There's not much to tell I guess. I worked at a bar singing after I had to leave Schmidt's team. You guys know that. I've worked there since then. It didn't help with my drinking though. My boss is really good to me though. He's paying for my rehab program." I gazed down at my hands in my lap. "I started drinking after Trini and didn't see the need to stop until someone showed up to remind me why I had to."

"You always gotta be there hero, don't you?" Rocky asked, grinning over at Tommy who blushed slightly.

"Shut up, Rocky." Aisha snapped, glaring at her husband-to-be. She turned back to me. "Girl, why on Earth didn't you call me? I would have been down there in a heart beat. I tried calling you over and over again. You stopped answering and then the number was disconnecting. You stopped answering my emails too. What happened?"

"I thought you guys didn't need me in your lives with the way I was fucking up mine." I said softly, not braving a look at her. Reaching out, she took my hands in mine.

"Nonsense. You are our best friend. Your bullshit is our bullshit. We all lost Trini. We all should be dealing with it together. She was your best friend. You shouldn't be down there going through it alone. It doesn't matter what's happened in the past. You're here now and that's all that matters." I shook my head.

"I shouldn't have shut you guys out like that. I feel so shitty about it."

"As you should." Aisha replied, grinning at me. "But who hasn't fucked up a time or two. We still love you, Kim. And we're here for you no matter what. Are you staying for the wedding?"

"If it's alright with you guys." I replied. Aisha scoffed.

"Girl, of course it is! I wish I knew sooner. I would have made you one of my bridesmaids. I hope you're not offended." I shook my head.

"No. Trust me. It's probably better I'm not. I'm just happy I can be at the wedding."

"You sure? It's not too late to go shopping for a dress." She offered.

"Unbelievable. Ten minutes together and they are already planning to go shopping." Rocky said, shaking his head. "It's good to see some things never change."

"Including your mouth." Aisha snapped, glaring at him again. "Why don't you go play with your friend and I'll hang out with mine? Thank you very much." Rocky rolled his eyes.

"Sure. Want a beer, Tommy?" He asked, pointing at Tommy. Tommy looked over at me, a little glint of panic in his eyes.

"It's fine." I replied, smiling. "You drinking a beer isn't going to make me relapse."

"We can drink in the garage, anyway." Rocky offered. Tommy pushed himself up off the couch.

"Just yell if you need me, okay?" He said. I nodded before he followed Rocky out of the room. Aisha waited until we heard the back door closing before smiling at me.

"So…how has Florida been since Dr. Oliver has shown up?" She asked.

"It was killing you inside, wasn't it?" I asked, giggling. She nodded.

"A tad. Spill! Are we back together? Are we working on things? I need details now."

"It's nothing, really. He's been a big help since coming down there. He helped get me into therapy and he is a huge support. I don't think I could be doing this without him. I'm glad he's there." I replied.

"Have you slept with him?" She asked bluntly. I gasped.

"Aisha!"

"I take that as a yes then." She grinned from ear to ear. I went to protest but found I couldn't. I laughed, leaning into the couch. "Well, how was it?"

"It was very nice angry sex. I can't even tell you what we were fighting about at that moment but let me tell you that it was WELL worth it." She laughed, a small snort coming from her nose that made me start laughing as well. Once we started, it took a while for us to be able to stop. I would calm down slightly but then she would laugh again and would start the whole process all over again. I couldn't remember the last time I had the giggles so hard. It might have been with Trini on the phone talking about her and Jason's sex lives. We used to do it so much that I'm sure I could describe things about Jason he wouldn't want other people to know about him.

"That's great!" She breathed after we finally managed to collect ourselves. "But does that mean you're back together?"

"No. He wants to be. He keeps asking me. I just don't know though."

"Well, do you want to be?" She asked.

"Maybe. It's Tommy. I'm always going to love him. I'm just afraid the distance and everything is going to kill it again, ya know? And I'm only just starting rehab. It's not like I can move back here. And I can't expect him to move down there. He did offer though." I sighed. "I don't want to make him move when it might not work out."

"I think that's his decision though. Tommy's a big boy. He can figure out what he wants in life. If he's willing to make the sacrifice, he's the one who made the decision. It wouldn't be on you. And we both know he would move to Phaedos to be with you if he had to." She grinned. "Though, I do think I recall a story you told me about you and him behind one of those big rocks that night…"

"Shut up!" I said, looking to make sure no one was there. "He would die of embarrassment if he knew I told you."

"Ah. I missed this. I feel 16 again, sitting here talking about the hidden places you and Tommy had sex. Honestly, I don't think there's a safe place here in Angel Grove that you guys didn't defile." I laughed, shaking my head.

"I always knew I could count on you to keep me modest."

"Honestly, what else am I even here for?" She laughed. "But, I do think you should give it another thought. Tommy wasn't the same after you left and I think being near you again has brought that person back. I'm not telling you run off to Vegas and get hitched tonight. Which, if you did that right before Rocky and I got married, I would literally toss you in the Grand Canyon. All I'm saying is to not rule anything out at this point."

"I only broke up with him back then because of what you said about him and Kat." I pointed out. She sighed, nodding.

"I know. I feel guilty about that. I shouldn't have said anything to you without talking to Tommy first. I thought for sure something sneaking was going on though. And after everything went down with Kat before she joined the team, I wanted to make sure you knew to stay on your toes. I didn't think you would just break up with him though."

"It's not your fault. I was young and dumb. For some stupid fucking reason, I thought if I did it, he'd coming running down to Florida to fix things. Apparently, I was wrong. I don't blame him either. He thought there was another guy in the picture. Why would he come down there? But, I also know that Tommy deserves to be happy and I'm not quite sure if I can be that person he's can be happy with. I've got a lot of baggage right now. He might say he doesn't mind it but I know in the end it can be a lot to deal with."

"He wouldn't have gone down there if he wasn't willing to help you carry something around." She said, pulling herself to her feet. Walking over to the entertainment center, she pulled open a door on the bottom and retrieved a photo album. Heading back over to me, she sat down. Flipping the cover open, she revealed a bunch of pictures of the team together. "Trust me. This boy right here," She pointed to a picture of Tommy and I sitting together on a picnic table bench. "He didn't fly 3,000 miles _twice_ to just let you go again."

"Aisha, can I ask you something?" I asked, leaning forward as she flipped to the next page. I saw more of us, playing volley ball at the park.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Would Tommy have anything he would want to hide from me or anything like that? Something he would be ashamed of?" She glanced over at me, confused.

"Not that I can think of. You know about the Dino Thunder team, right?" I nodded. "Yeah, I don't think there's anything I would know of he wouldn't want to tell you. Why?"

"It's nothing. Just…right before we left for here, my rehab counselor asked to speak to Tommy alone. When I asked him about it, Tommy told me I wasn't ready to hear it yet. I just thought that maybe there was something from before that he didn't want to tell me."

"If there was, then I don't know about it. Rocky wouldn't either. That man can't keep a secret to save his life. It was a miracle the whole world didn't know we were Rangers. Could it be something about your rehab program? I'm sure Tommy wouldn't hide something if he didn't have your best interests at heart." She said, putting a hand on my arm.

"I know. It's been bothering me, that's all. So, tell me all about this wedding!"


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: And here's the second chapter! Enjoy! ;)

* * *

 _ **26.**_

Our visit with Aisha and Rocky turned into us having dinner with them. Aisha made some homemade rigatoni dish and we sat at their dining room table for what must have been hours, just talking and catching up. This felt a lot easier than it had been with Billy for some reason. Maybe it was because they weren't as connected to Trini as he had been. They had come after her, not serving with her on the team and not really having much to do with her following that. I still felt guilty for cutting them out of my life like I had though. It wasn't fair and I know that Aisha would have loved the helping planning the wedding. Though, it seemed like she had it all pretty well handled. From the venue to the flowers, she had it all planned out a month after Rocky proposed. All she needed was for the day to come, something I knew Rocky was extremely nervous about. Seeing the two of them together made me smiling because I had always known they were perfect for one another. Rocky needed Aisha's stern guidance in life and she needed his silly side to remember to enjoy life. If I get any more mushy about the two of them, Hallmark would be calling me to write their next Christmas movie.

"That was delicious, Aisha." Tommy said as we walked from the kitchen towards the front door. I didn't want to leave yet but I couldn't stop myself from yawning as we were sitting at the table. It was nearing midnight and I felt like a ninety year old woman who was up way past her bedtime.

"It was nothing special. You guys should come to our BBQ on Thursday. It's our way of giving back for everyone helping out with the wedding. Adam and Zach will be in town then." Aisha replied, opening the front door. We stepped out on to the porch, Tommy and Rocky bringing up the rear.

"We can. We're having dinner with Billy tomorrow night and then I think we're heading to my house for a couple days. Gotta make sure it's still standing." Tommy said, pulling his keys from his pockets.

"Let us know where you're going and we can tag along." Rocky said, wrapping an arm around Aisha's shoulders. "We're both off tomorrow."

"That sounds fun! I'll call you once we hear from Billy." I replied. Aisha stepped forward and gave me a tight hug.

"I'm so glad you're here." She said, releasing me a few long moments later.

"Me too. We will need to have a girls day to really catch up." I replied. Rocky groaned.

"No. They are doing that thing where they're going to hang out to talk about their sex lives." He muttered, shaking his head. Tommy raised his eyebrows, giving me a surprised look.

"Can it, Rocky." Aisha said, slapping him in the chest. She gave Tommy a quick hug. "You two drive safe. We will see you tomorrow."

"Will do." He replied, not really looking at her. I gave Rocky a hug before stepping off the porch and towards the jeep. The sun was long gone now, the moon hiding behind a tree next to the jeep. Stars littered the sky and I could hear the soft breeze through it's leaves. Tommy walked around the back of the jeep and climbed into the driver's side as I opened my own door. He started the engine as I slid in. From the porch, Aisha and Rocky waved before heading back inside.

"I haven't had that much fun in a long time." I said, clicking my seat belt in. Tommy did his as well, pulling away from the curb.

"You guys talk about your sex lives together?" He asked, tossing the conversation back to the porch.

"What?" I asked, turning my head so I was facing him.

"You and Aisha. You guys talked about our sex lives when we were younger?" I rolled my eyes.

"Tommy, it wasn't like we went into full detail of everything that happened. I mean I know WAY too much about Rocky for my liking. But I only told Aisha and Trini about the things I liked." I replied.

"The things you liked?" He repeated, not looking at me. "And what were those things?"

"Oh my god! Are you getting off on this?" I laughed and saw that his cheeks tinged pink. "Tommy Oliver, you're such a man."

"Well, pardon me. Maybe I'm just looking for some pointers or something. Obviously, you liked something about it to tell your friends about."

"There was plenty I liked about our sex lives." I responded, shrugging my shoulders. "You make it sound like you were bad or something."

"You're the only one I ever…so it's not like I have a large audience to review my performance." He muttered, sounding embarrassed. He headed towards the hotel, turning onto the road that led to the outskirts of town. There wasn't a car to be found any where, everyone in bed more than likely.

"You weren't bad, Tommy. Everyone thinks they are. Trust me. I enjoy having sex with you." I stated, glancing out the window.

"Oh, you enjoy it? As in still enjoy it?" He asked, grinning at me.

"That's not what I said. I said I enjoyed it. There's a difference."

"No. You said enjoy. As in currently. The present time." It was my turn for my cheeks to flush. "Come to think of it, I don't recall you faking it when we-."

"Alright, alright!" I exclaimed, burying my beat red face in my hands. Tommy let out a loud laugh and I felt the jeep turn into the drive way of the hotel. He put the jeep in park and killed the ignition.

"Don't be ashamed. I'm flattered, really." He said, a smug tone to his voice. I raised my head, letting my hands fall to my lap as I glared at him.

"Oh yeah?" I undid my seat belt and slid in my seat so I was on the middle console. Bringing my knees around, I set them on either side of Tommy's hips to allow myself to straddle his lap. His eyes widened as he looked up at me, his hands resting on the door hand and the seat belt like he didn't know what to do with them. Leaning in close, I pressed my lips against his right ear lobe. "Wanna show me how flattered you are?" I breathed. I heard a hiss come from between his teeth as his arms wrapped around me. He pressed his lips against mine in an aggressive kiss. He pulled me tightly against him as he ran his tongue over my bottom lip. I opened my lips to allow him in and he explored every inch of my mouth with his tongue.

"Fuck." He breathed as I raised my hips enough to rub my crotch against his. He brought his lips to my neck and each time I shifted against him, his teeth sank slightly into the skin under his lips. My temperature was beginning to rise and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I could feel his as well under my palm as I steadied myself on his chest with my hands.

"Tell me you want to fuck me." I whispered, grinding myself against Tommy as lightly as I could. His hands found my waist and he brought his hips up to match my movements. He didn't answer me though. "C'mon, Tommy. Tell me you want to fuck me." I grinded again, adding more weight. His breathing grew harder as he tried to kiss me. I kept my hands on his chest, stopping him from reaching me.

"Yes." He said, grabbing a handful of my ass.

"Yes what? Say it." I wiggled my ass so that I was grinding directly on top of his now very hard penis. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment and his grip grew tighter. "Don't you want to be inside of me right now? Don't you wish I was going like this on your cock?" I rose my hips up and down, bracing myself on his chest still. "Tell me you want to fuck me."

"Yes. I want to fuck you." He breathed, opening his eyes to look up at me. They were dripping with lust and I could see how much he wanted it to be true.

"Yeah?" I whispered, leaning forward and brushing my lips over his. "You do?"

"I do." He answered, kissing me.

"Well," With my right hand, I reached over and grabbed the handle of his door. I popped it open and hopped off of him. "At least we know that we both still enjoy it." I said, smiling at him sweetly. Tommy stared at me with wide eyes, unsure of what had just happened. He was sprawled out in his seat, a very noticeable bulge in his lap.

"That was evil." He said, rational thoughts finally coming to him. He brought his hands down to his lap as he slid out of the jeep as well. I took a step back, keeping a good distance between us.

"What? I was just making sure that we were on the same page." I replied, turning to head towards the room.

"All the blood in my body is currently having a collective meeting in my pants." He muttered following behind me. I wanted to look back to see his funny walk but I didn't dare. My own blood was still on fire. I didn't know what the hell I had been thinking back there. It was a good thing I didn't want to lead him on, right? I could kick myself right now.

"Serves you right for laughing at me." I said, stopping outside of our door. "I would suggest a cold shower."

"Yeah, yeah." He said, pulling the key from his pocket and opening the door. I slid in first, turning on the light. I heard him follow, shutting the door behind him.

"Oh, don't be mad, Tommy." I said over my shoulder. I walked over to my bed and kicked my shoes off by the foot of it. "I'm sorry."

"You're gonna be." He said. I turned, opening my mouth to say something when I felt him lift me up off the ground and tackle me to the bed. I was shocked, Tommy's body pressing me into the top of the mattress. I tried to grip what was happening in my mind but his mouth found mine before I could. He pinned my hands to the bed with his left hand and spread my legs with my knees before I could even move. Using his right, he pulled my shirt up and slid his fingers into my shorts. They gently petted their way through my more than likely damp curls. Pulling away from the kiss, he brought his mouth to my ear. "From what I'm feeling, I think you were enjoying that little trick you just pulled too."

"I-I-I'm tired." I stammered out, unsure of what to do. He let out a dark chuckle, bringing me back to the days where he was the evil Green Rangers.

"Bullshit. You just seemed to have a lot of energy a couple minutes ago." I felt him bend his pointer finger and it slid inside of me with ease. I let out a gasp, my hips bucking under him as he did. "C'mon, Kim. Tell me you want me to fuck you."

"You're an ass." I said, glaring up at him. He pulled his finger out and slid it in again, repeating the action over and over again. I bit my lip from moaning, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. This was my game. I wasn't going to let him win at it. If he kept going like that though, he was going to in no time.

"You're so wet." He said, sinking his teeth into my ear lobe. "I could make us both very happy if you just say so."

"Bite me." I breathed. I felt his lips turn into a smirk and he added his middle finger to his index as they slid into me. A cry emitted from me that I couldn't stop and he nibbled at my pulse on my neck. He matched the rhythm of his tongue on my skin to that of his fingers moving in and out of me. My mind was reeling and all conscious thought was slipping away. I could feel the edges of a strong as fuck orgasm heading my way and I could move my arms or legs to stop it from happening.

"Don't you want to come for me?" he whispered. "I know it's close. I want you to say my name when you do. I want you to scream my name all night long until you can barely speak."

"I'm not going to." I whispered, shaking my head. I closed my eyes, hoping to picture something else to make it not happen. His thumb grazed over my clit and my entire body shuddered.

"I think you are. Especially when I do this." He flicked my clit again and my body arched against his. He was right. It made me mad but he was right. I was on the brim now, staring down at what was going to me a mind blowing orgasm. He repeated the action and a loud cry echoed around the room from me.

"Fuck." I gasped, pulling against the hand that was holding mine still. He held firm, moving his thumb again. "I'm so close."

"I know, baby. Just tell me. Tell me what I want to hear."

"No." I said, shaking my head. His hand suddenly froze and he smirked down at me.

"No? You don't want me to do this?" His thumb flicked just the right spot and I felt every fiber of my being start to fizzle. I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut. I couldn't speak, my whole body shaking.

"Tommy, please…" I said, my tone edging towards that of begging.

"Please what?" He replied, his thumb just lightly touching me again. I've never wanted someone to touch me so hard before in my life. I squirmed, trying to make contact with him to end my suffering. He pressed his body against me more, pushing me into the mattress. "Nope. Not until you tell me you want me to fuck you." His breath was hot against my neck and he traced my jaw line with his teeth. "Think how good it will feel having me inside of you. Having my cock right here." He sunk two fingers inside of me and I felt my eyes roll backwards into my head. I had no clue what the hell had gotten into him since high school but whatever it was, I liked. "Going in…and out…in…and out…" With each word he pulled his fingers from me slowly and then back just as slowly.

"Don't stop." I breathed, feeling my end approaching. Like before, he stopped moving his hand. I let out a frustrated growl and glared up at him.

"I told you." He said in my ear. "Just tell me what you want."

"You." I answered. "I want you."

"You want me to do what?"

"Tommy…"

"Come on, beautiful. Tell me." I took a deep breath.

"I want you to fuck me." He smirked, leaning in a giving me a soft kiss.

"I thought you'd never ask." His thumb suddenly flicked against my clit in a rapid pace. In a matter of seconds, I was sent over the edge of an orgasm.

"Tommy!" I cried out, my legs shaking from the sensation. He didn't give me a second to let the waves of pleasure pass before he sunk his fingers inside of me. I felt my walls squeeze tightly around him as he shifted his body so he was propped up over me. He still held my hands in place over my head and he now had more access to freely move. He fingered me, gently at first as the waves subsided but he picked up speed. I found myself calling out his name again as another orgasm slammed into me.

"That's my girl." He said, kissing my lips. He pulled his hand from my pants, my lady bits feeling swollen and sensitive. He released my hands and brought his knee to my other side so he was kneeling above me. I laid there panting while he grabbed the hem on my shirt. I sat up slightly so that he could pull it over my head. He had my bra off a few seconds later, his mouth finding the bud of my right breast. His tongue lapped at the nipple, goose bumps spreading across my skin at he did. My body was still on fire from before, the two sensations mixing in an almost overload. He went from one breast to the other, cupping the one he was teasing before with his hand. He took the nipple between his teeth and pulled it gently. I let out a cry, my back arching to follow him. He laughed, the sound vibrating around the bud. He released it and I dropped back down on to the bed.

Crawling down the length of my body, he pulled down my shorts and underwear. He struggled for a moment, my left foot getting caught in the fabric. He growled, finally managing to get them off. Flinging them across the room, he tugged his t-shirt over his head and undid his zipper. I laid there, sprawled out as I watched him. I knew I should stop this. I knew I should tell him that we shouldn't be doing this when we weren't sure what we are or what we were going to be. I didn't though, sitting up and helping his pull his pants off. I yanked his boxers off, his penis nearly slapping me in the face. I slid off the bed, standing on wobbly legs in front of him.

"My turn." I said, grinning at him. I knelt down on the floor in front of him, my eyes peering up at him. I felt the carpet dig into my knees, the fibers more than likely leaving marks there. I grabbed his penis in my hand, rubbing it up the shaft. Leaning forward, I circled my tongue around the head of it. Tommy let out a soft moan and a feeling of satisfaction came over me. Opening my mouth, I took him in me. I eased into it, rocking my head back and forth to allow my mouth to coat half of it with salvia. With each rocking motion, I went further, sinking more of him into my mouth. I could feel him growing harder with each movement. I opened the back of my throat, taking him all the way into my mouth right down to the hilt. His fingers sank into my hair as he gripped the back of my head. His hips bucked, pulling himself in and out of my mouth.

"Fuuuuck." He said, his eyes closing as I sucked. I hummed, the vibrations seemingly shooting right through him as his body jerked. I pulled my head back, releasing all but the tip of his head. I swirled it in my mouth, running my tongue around the tip and suckling it. He suddenly stepped backwards, pulling me off my knees. Turning me, he stood me so I was facing the bed. Putting his hand on my back, he bent me over the bed. I braced myself with my hands as he gripped my hips. I felt him align himself behind me before sinking the entire length of himself inside of me. I let out a slight squeal, the sensation making my toes curl into the carpet. He brought his hips back again, repeating the action.

"Shit. Yes." I said, my head hanging so my forehead was resting on the bed spread. Tommy continued to pump, slamming into me with everything he had. His right hand massaged my ass cheek and he swatted my other one with his left hand. The jolt made me jump but he held me in place. Pleasure was building again at a steady rate, like a freight train coming full speed towards me. Tommy ran his nails up my back before grabbing a fist full of my hair. He pulled on it, forcing my head up.

"Do you like me inside of you?" He asked, slamming into me.

"Yes. Yes." I panted, not wanting him to stop. He let go of my hair, pulling himself completely out of me. I turned to protest but he flipped me over onto my back. I bounced on the bed as Tommy spread my legs. Laying on top of me, he slid back into the warmth inside of me. Propping himself up on his elbows on either side of my head, he rocked his hips. I wrapped my legs around his hips and my arms under his, my nails digging into his back. "Holy, shit. Tommy." I mewed, my head tossing back.

"Come for me." He purred in my ear. Oh, that wasn't going to be an issue, buddy. I felt his body tense under me as I dove head first into the waves of an intense orgasm. I cried out his name, my voice cracking as I did. I heard my name on his lips as well as he finished with me. He collapsed on the bed next to me, both of us gasping for air.

"Well…fuck." I panted after a minute.

"That was…that was…" He said, gazing up at the ceiling.

"Yeah." I breathed. "Where the hell did you learn all that?" He let out a soft chuckle.

"A single guy living on his own for this long has plenty of time to watch a lot of porn." He replied. I tilted my head to look up at him, trying to gage if he was right. He smiled down at me, laughing. I found myself laughing too, shaking my head.

"Keep up the good work then." I said, stretching. Tommy shifted, pulling the comforter down underneath him. He crawled inside, holding it open for me. His arms were open to, expecting me to lay with him. "I think I'm going to take a shower." I said, rolling off the bed. I didn't look back at him but it took a moment for his hand to land back on the bed again.

"Oh. Alright." A defeated reply said. I walked into the bathroom and shut the door, turning the shower on as quickly as possible. I didn't dare a look at him as I did nor at myself in the mirror while I waited for the water to heat up. I climbed in, washing myself and my hair. My mind replayed everything that had just happened, regret being to seep into the back of my mind. Was that a mistake? Was I wrong for allowing that to happen? Did he now think we were going to be together for sure? Fuck. Why am I like this?

After my shower, I changed into a clean pair of underwear and a long t-shirt. When I came out of the bathroom, I saw Tommy was still laying in my bed. He was sound asleep though, his chest rising and falling as he slept. I walked over and stood over him, gazing down at his perfect features. "Sorry, handsome." I whispered, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Turning, I walked over to his bed and pulled the covers back. Crawling under them, I laid there and cried quietly until I drifted off to sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Hi everyone! I know it's been a bit since I updated. I'll be honest; I've been fighting with this chapter a lot as well as dealing with my obsession of Game of Thrones. And did anyone see last night's episode? I will not spoil it but HOLY SHIT. Anyway, I made myself sit and write this chapter today because I felt like a turd sandwich for not doing so sooner. I hope you enjoy. It's some build up so bear with me. Enjoy! As always, R&R! :)

* * *

 _ **27.**_

The next morning, I woke up before Tommy. I wasn't sure if it was because of how horribly I slept or how horribly I felt about last night, but I found myself throwing up shortly after opening my eyes. I brushed my teeth afterwards, allowing myself to look in the mirror. To my surprise, I didn't look like death. I actually looked like someone who was human, color to my cheeks and something in my eyes that made them shine. Maybe it was the three orgasms or the California air but I looked better than I think I deserved. Coming out of the bathroom, I tripped slightly on my shorts that were crumpled in the corner of the room. My cell phone slid out of the pocket, landing on the floor. Eyeing Tommy, I saw he was still sleeping. I picked up my phone, pulled on the short, grabbed the room key from the dresser, and walked outside the door.

The sun was shining brightly out, the time edging towards 9 am. I walked around the corner of the building, seeing a picnic table that was meant for employees to take breaks I assumed. There was no one there now and I gingerly walked across the asphalt in my bare feet. I winced when I stepped on a sharp stone but managed to get there without injury. Sitting on the top of the table, I opened my cell phone and searched through the contacts. When Jason's name appeared, I stopped. Taking a deep breath, I pressed send. Bringing it to my ear, I listened as it rang.

And rang.

And rang.

After four rings, it clicked and I heard his answering machine kick over. "Hey. It's Jason. You know what to do." His voice said. I moved to hang up but couldn't bring myself to do it. It beeps, telling me it was recording.

"Jase…it's Kim. I'm back in Angel Grove. Well, for now. I think Tommy and I are going to his house tomorrow for a couple days but we'll be back on Thursday. I'd like to see you. Give me a call, okay?" I closed the phone and held it in my hands, willing it to ring. It didn't though.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair and gazed up the road towards Angel Grove. Everything was going good so far. I've reconnected with Aisha, Billy and Rocky without issue. But, they weren't the main reason I was here. My main goal was to see Jason again. It was something Tommy never mentioned and hasn't brought up about handling since we arrived. Granted it was easier this way but I wasn't getting what I needed to get done, done. If I had any chance of getting through therapy, I needed to see Jason and get everything off my chest.

"There you are." Tommy's voice said, pulling me from my thoughts. Looking up, I saw him walking towards me. He was no longer buck ass naked, a pair of jeans and the shirt he wore yesterday on his frame. His hair was sticking up in places and he was squinting in the sunlight. "I was wondering where you disappeared to."

"Just needed some air. How did you sleep?" I asked, putting my elbows on my knees.

"Okay. And you?" He replied, sitting next to me.

"Like shit. But, what else is new?" I sighed, hanging my head. "I tried calling Jason but he didn't answer."

"It's still kinda early for a Sunday. He could be sleeping. Or he could be doing something. I'm sure he'll call you back."

"I hope so. Or else this whole trip will be for nothing." I muttered. He leaned sideways, putting his shoulder against mine.

"No, it won't. You'll see him, I promise. If he doesn't come around in a couple days, we can track him down. He didn't say anything to me about avoiding you."

"Thanks." I said softly, giving him a small smile.

"You're welcome." He looked up towards the bright blue sky. "So…we going to talk about last night?"

"Nope." I answered.

"Why do I even bother?"

"Beats me. I think you're just a glutton for punishment." A silence fell over the both of us, the only sound coming from a vehicle passing by every now and then. I mentally willed him to not ask me about last night. To not question why I had run right after everything that happened. I knew it was wrong of me to try to treat Tommy like one of those frat boys from the bar. He wasn't just someone I could sleep with when I'm lonely. It wasn't fair to him. Too bad we haven't gotten to the portion of commitment issues with Dr. McAvoy yet. Maybe that would be my first topic when we returned.

"Breakfast?" He finally asked, standing up. "I can run into town and grab something quick. You look like you could use a chance to relax a bit."

"That'd be nice. Probably won't happen but I could try."

"That's the spirit. I'll be back." I watched as he walked up the gravel to the walk way around the building. A few minutes later, the jeep pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards town. I slid off the table myself, gingerly walking back to the room. I unlocked the door and slipped inside. I noticed he had cleaned up his discarded clothes from last night that he hadn't put back on. He had even slightly made my bed, leaving the corner turned down. Walking over, I perched myself on the edge of the bed and wrapped my arms around me. In the air, I thought I could still smell sex. I knew the sheets probably smelled like sweat and other bodily fluids if you were brave enough to sniff. I was not. However, I didn't have to. I already knew what had happened. I had been here. I had been the one who instigated it.

"Smart thinking, idiot." I whispered, shaking my head. As for thinking, I believe there wasn't very much involved with yesterday. At first, I was just trying to get a rise out of Tommy for making fun of me. And clearly, something rose. But I never intended for things to get as hot and heavy as it did. Trust me, I am not complaining about the sex. I've been with enough guys that I know great sex when I have it and that was beyond great sex. I wasn't sure if it was the different, more commanding way about Tommy than he had been in high school or what but I felt like this was more intense than regular sex. Something about the way I felt during scared me. Was it our connection? The fact we used to be in love? Or the fact he was still actively in love with me?

Or that I was still madly in love with him?

Just thinking those words made my heart beat faster. Yeah, it was no secret I still had feelings for him. And if he didn't know how I felt about him, he was thicker than I thought. But there was a difference between implying and actually saying them out loud that made me want to run and hide. It's not that I'm scared of Tommy. I think I'm more afraid about what a relationship with Tommy would mean. It would mean him having to deal with my shit because he has to, not just because he was my friend. That it wouldn't just be my life I was fucking up if I relapsed again. And let's be honest here. More than likely, it's going to happen. My track record doesn't bode will for me. If Tommy were to just pack up his life and move to Miami because of me and I failed, it would be the worst thing I had ever done. And that's saying something.

No, I couldn't tell Tommy. He might have a clue about how I felt but without a confirmation, there was no way of him knowing for sure. Maybe he will be like most guys and assume they can just sleep with their ex-girlfriend whenever the timing felt right. People do it all the time. We could even be that kind of ex-couple. It would take the pressure off as well. But sadly, I knew that would never be the case. Even though I have no shame when it came to myself, I knew Tommy would never be like that. He could never just hit it and quit it. Not with me or anybody. He was a round about good guy with good intentions. Good intentions that can be a bit annoying at times but wholesome nonetheless. He would never do anything that could potentially hurt someone. It went against his nature. The only reason why he didn't demand to talk about last night was because he thinks he needs to walk on eggshells around me. That was something I was going to take advantage of while I could.

My attention went from my crazed thoughts to the door that opened into the room. Tommy appeared, a box of donuts in one hand and a carton of orange juice in the other. A white grocery bag hung from his left arm as he maneuvered his way into the room the best he could. "Well, this is the best I could find for a Sunday morning." He said, setting the box on the bed next to the door.

"Of course. Donuts will do the trick though." I replied, standing up. I pulled the lid off the white box and say an array of the pastries. My eyes landed on a pink glazed one with sprinkles. I grabbed it, carefully ripping it in half before taking a bite out of the left half.

"It's the cake version of breakfast." He offered, grabbing two plastic cups from the microwave stand and pouring juice in them. He kicked the door shut behind him and put the bag down on the bed as well. "Billy called me while I was out. We're going to Roma's for dinner. Is that okay?"

"Sure! What's Roma's?" I asked through a mouth full of donut. He smirked, handing me a glass of juice as he sat on the bed across from me.

"It's a nice little Italian place here in town. I've been there a couple times when I come to see everyone. You'll like it."

"I'll take your word for it." I took the last bite of my donut and wiped some left over frosting off on the bed spread underneath me. "What's the plan for today before we see them? I'm sure the great Tommy Oliver has something up his sleeve." He laughed, taking a bite of a chocolate donut.

"Well, now that you mention it. I was thinking we could go for a hike or something. I figured we had some free time and it's been forever since I walked the bike bath down by the beach." He replied through chews.

"That actually sounds like fun. I can't even remember the last time I walked that trail. Probably before I left. Hopefully, the alcohol I've consumed this past year won't kill me." I mused, sipping my orange juice.

"Please. If Bulk and Skull can manage it, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Speaking of those two, what ever happened to them? Are they still in Angel Grove?"

"Well, last I knew, they were running a small little tiki bar on the coast somewhere. That's the last I saw of them. I had heard through the grapevine that Skull was trying his hand at acting. I'm not quite sure about that one though. I know Bulk was working with kids too at some point. It's been a while since I have seen either one of them. I think Aisha and Rocky invited them to the wedding though." Tommy finished his donut, chasing it with his juice.

"At least I don't owe them any kind of an apologize. Well, except for maybe Skull. I still feel awful for the way I treated him after that love spell. He didn't deserve it. It's one of those things that hits you at night when you're trying to fall asleep and every horrible thing you've ever done runs through your mind. Not that I really had any control over it but I still feel like shit about it, ya know?"

"I think I know something about feeling shitty for shit you did when you couldn't control it." He replied, leaning back on his elbow. "Look at all the horrible things I did when I was under Rita's spell. I killed so many innocent civilians. I can't even let myself think of all the destruction I caused. If I did, I would never sleep. It's something I've learned to just live with so I can go to the next day. Sometimes, I still sit and think about everything I did. All the people I hurt. Especially you guys. I mean, I threw you out of the Megazord. Wasn't exactly something a ranger is supposed to do. But I know now that it wasn't my fault and I didn't make those decisions. Rita and the spell did. Still tough to go through but I manage. Just like how you're going to manage through all of this."

"Wow. How did that end up into a pep talk for my alcoholism?" I asked, smirking at him. He laughed, shrugging his shoulders as he stood up.

"It's practice for my motivational book; _**Dream it, Wish, Morph Into It**_. Coming to a Barnes and Noble near you." He said, waving his hand in the air. "I'm going to shower quick and then we can take off. We'll have to stop and get some water on the way. It's pretty hot already. Can't imagine it'll be much cooler down there."

"Whatever you say, Ol' Wise One." I teased, wrinkling my nose at him.

"You're such a smart ass." He made a face at me before disappearing into the bathroom. Soon, I heard the shower kick on and the water spraying from the head. I grabbed my cell phone again and tried Jason's cell. Like before, it rang four times before clicking over to voicemail.

"Hey. It's Jason. You know what to do." The recording said in my ear.

"Hey, Jase. It's Kim again. Just wanted to talk to you. Can you give me a call? You can call my cell or Tommy's. I'll be with him all week." I paused. "I really want to hear from you. Bye."

* * *

Tommy showered quickly and before I knew it, we were in his jeep cruising down the highway to Angel Grove Beach. It was a sandy stretch of beach, the water lapping the shore for five miles. Either side was surrounded by a series of smaller cliffs, jagged rocks at the bottom of them. There were three boat launch sites along the shore, boats docked here year round. It was the perfect location for those who were looking to spend their lives living at sea but also close enough to spend time on land. It had always been a dream of my father's to own a houseboat here. He had tried for years to get my mother to agree to it but she never did. Instead, he just left and did it on his own. Only, he was up in Washington rather than here where his fucking family had been. Not that it mattered much. God only knows how that would have ended up if he had actually cared enough to stick around. I'm sure my mother would have run off to Paris a lot sooner if that had been the case.

Pulling into the Rand Street parking lot, Tommy pulled up in the left side corner of the area and killed the engine. I could see the sun shimmering off the surface of the ocean, the waves gently coming in and out of sea. The wake was calm, not a boat or jet ski to be seen or heard out on the water. Tommy had been right about the heat. It was already pretty toasty out today. The sun felt nice on my face as I gazed around the beach area. To my surprise, it was fairly empty. There were only two other cars parked here besides us. There weren't the typical dots of people spread out across the beach. Then I remembered it was still early on a Sunday. People were more than likely still at church. I'm sure in an hour or so, the crowds would be flocking in to fill the sand. On busy days here, there is hardly room to squeeze an ass cheek let alone a towel. We always preferred to get here early when we were kids, getting the best spot on the beach before anyone else could. It was our tradition, one that Trini and I had come up with. One that the boys agreed to, even if it meant rolling out of bed on a weekend before nine.

Climbing out of the jeep, I meet Tommy by the back end of it. He had stopped on the way here and bought two bottles of water. They weren't small bottles but weren't big enough to become heavy after walking for a while. He also fished out a knapsack from the back seat of the jeep that had a logo for a dojo on it. Tossing the water inside, he put the bag over his shoulders. I noticed his dark hair was getting a bit shaggy now and he hadn't bothered to shave. I rather enjoyed the scruffy look on him, his boyish charm still there under it. I turned my attention towards the opening of the bike trail before he could notice me staring at him. It was about thirty feet away; a black topped walking path the was surrounded by trees. It curved through the park for three miles, stopping at various parts with park benches and views of the ocean that were breath taking. It's not a hard hike. Parents usually took their kids here on the end of the beach day, hoping to drain what little energy they had left so they would sleep like a rock that night. As a teenager, I used to ride my bike or roller blade on the trail. It's all fun and games until you hit a rock or twig and end up with gravel in your face. I still had the scars from when I was 13 and flew over my handle bars. You live and learn though. At least, that's what Tommy had said before.

"It's gorgeous out." I said, stretching my arms above my head as we started up the path. Tommy nodded, tucking his car keys into the pockets of his khaki pants.

"It is. I missed this. I always loved walking this path."

"Don't they have trails in Reefside?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded.

"Well, yeah. Not like this though. Those are mostly just in the woods. There is a lake near my house but nothing beats the smell of the ocean. And it's a four-hour drive from here so there's no ocean air to be smelt." He replied, sighing.

"So, why don't you move back here then?"

"Cause I like Reefside. It wasn't where I had imagined me ending up but it's a good location. The school is wonderful and I enjoy my students. It's not the ideal spot for someone like me but it's comfortable."

"How did you end up there? I know you said the dino gems were there but is that why you were there in the first place?" I asked, making sure no one was around us.

"Sort of. Anton was planning on opening a research facility near Reefside and he wanted me to help run the lab portion of it. I had already made a bid on a house and everything. When shit hit the fan, I knew the dino gems ended up there somewhere. I figured I would just stay until I found them. I found a job to support myself in the process. I guess I grew roots though after everything was said and done."

"You can always relocate, Tommy. I'm sure they would hire you at Angel Grove school and you could always sell your house." He chuckled, shaking his head.

"I could say the same thing to you." He stated.

"Nope. My situation is different, Oliver."

"How so? They have dozens of rehab places here, you can find a new apartment and I'm sure you could use Joey as a reference to get any kind of job you wanted here. You're young, you're pretty. Any place would be dying to hire a singer like you."

"I thought we agreed to not argue on this trip." I came to a stop by the first bench. It overlooked the beaches below, the water moving slightly faster now as an oil tanker glided through the water out further in the bay.

"Whose arguing? I was just stating a fact." He replied, stopping too.

"You make it sound like it would just be so easy for me to uproot my life and move." I shot back.

"And so do you." He said, keeping his tone calm. "We both have roots where we are. Yeah, it would be hard to dig them up but not impossible. That is all I'm saying."

"Verbally, yes. But you are saying a whole lot more without actually saying it."

"Maybe you're just hearing more because you're thinking about it just as much as I have since the moment I showed up at the Glenmore." He said softly, taking a step towards me. "Cause since the moment I saw you, I've thought about quitting my job and selling my house every other second."

"What about the rest of the time?" I breathed, not sure if I should be adding fuel to this fire.

"How I can convince you to run away with me." He was closer to me now, any closer and we would be touching. "Are you ready to talk about what happened between us last night?"

"You ready to tell me what you and Dr. McAvoy talked about before we came here?" I replied. His hopeful smile faded into one of defeat.

"Touché, Miss Hart."

Tommy and I walked the bike path for an hour or so, avoiding the topic of anything that might be important to talk about. It amazed me how well he was at this, almost as talented as I was. It was nice spending time together without having to worry about stepping on any kind of toes. We left the beach area a little after 2 pm, the parking lot filled to the brim with cars now. The beach was packed with families hoping to beat the heat. It took a little while to get on the highway but we were heading back to the hotel. On the way, I checked my cell phone for any messages. There was none, not even a text. Frowning, I made a call to a pizzeria in Miami to ensure it was still working. I hung up when they opened, shoving the phone back into my pocket. Why hadn't Jason called me back yet? Was he busy? Was he doing something and just didn't have cell reception? I didn't want to panic yet. I knew there was still plenty of time for me to reconnect with him. But it didn't help the dreaded feeling that was growing in the pit of my stomach when I thought about it.

Back at the room, I showered and changed into pair of white Capri jeans and a pink flower tank top. I didn't want to dress up too much but I also didn't want to feel like a slob. I have never been to this restaurant and I wasn't sure what the correct attire would be. I felt good about my decision when Tommy came out of the bathroom wearing black jeans and a white dress shirt. He was tucking his shirt in as I slipped my feet into the pink and white sandals I had packed.

"You look beautiful." He said, adjusting his pants.

"Thanks. You don't look too shabby yourself." I replied, standing up from the bed. "Have you heard from Jason at all today?"

"No. He hasn't called me." He said. I frowned. "He'll call, Kim. Trust me. I'm sure he's just doing something and can't get away yet."

"Yeah. Right." I said, faking a smile. I grabbed my purse from the bed and put the strap over my shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, ma'am." He shoved his feet into his shoes and opened the door. "After you."

Together, we walked out the door and down to the jeep. Tommy took a minute to grabbed the canvas cover for the top. Snapping it into place, he made sure it was secure before climb in. I hopped into the seat, securing my seat belt as he brought the jeep to life. The clock was edging towards 5 pm, the time we agreed to meet the group. Tommy quickly made it to Angel Grove, heading right into the heart of the town. He took a right down Main Street, waiting for a couple of kids to cross from the park towards the ice cream shop on the corner. Once they were clear, he pulled forwards and parked along the curb that was in front of Roma's. It was a white faced brick building with vies growing up the side of it. Standing alone, you would think it was just another pizza place. There was a neon sign in the front window that was a picture of a slice of pizza and Roma's name was written on the glass. But I saw on the side of the building that there was a courtyard type setting with seating for a number of people. It was gated in with a black cast iron fencing where the vines continued to wrap around it. Through two bars, I could make out the top of Rocky and Aisha's heads.

"I see them." I said, pulling my seat belt off.

"There's Billy." Tommy replied, pointing up the street. Turning, I saw Billy was indeed walking up the street towards us. He blonde hair was combed neatly on the top of his head, a dark blue button down was on his torso and grey jeans ran the lengths of his legs. Black dress shoes accompanied the ensemble on his feet and he smiled when he looked up and saw us. Opening my door, I stepped down from the jeep and gave him a big hug.

"Hi, Billy." I said, stepping back.

"Greetings. You look radiant." He replied, smiling down at me. Even Billy could make saying hello complicated.

"Thanks. You look very handsome." I said, patting his arm. A slight blush filled Billy's cheeks as Tommy came around the front of the jeep. The two shook hands and embraced quickly.

"Aisha and Rocky stated they would acquire seating arrangements for us prior to our arrival." Billy said, adjusting his glasses. I nodded.

"Yeah. They're sitting out on the patio." Tommy walked over and pulled the front door open. The boys let me walk inside first where I was greeted by no one other than Katherine Hillard.

Well, fuck me.


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: We're getting down to the wire here, folks! I think we only have eight or nine more chapters left. A lot can go down in that time. A lot WILL go down in that time. At the end of this fic, I will be previewing my newest fic. It's an idea I had swirling around for a project for a while now. I think it'll be fun. Until then, I hope you enjoy this! Remember to R &R!**_

* * *

 _ **28.**_

"Kimberly! How are you?" The tall, slender, blonde Australian woman said as she stared back at me. Kat was standing by the hostess stand, her arms tucked into the pockets of a pair of light blue jeans. Like me, she wore pink but in the form of a dark pink blazer with a white tank underneath it. Her hair was shorter now, cut to about her neck. She had taken the time to straighten it and she wore a light layer of makeup that made her blue eyes shine. Yeah, this was my replacement. Do you think there was any chance she had a hidden flaw like me? Tax evasion maybe?

"Hey. I'm good. You?" I responded, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. Billy walked into Roma's and I could hear Tommy come in behind him.

"I'm fine. Hi, Billy. Tommy! It's great to see you!" She said, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree when she saw him. I felt my chest tighten as she smiled at him. I knew it was childish. I knew it was petty. But I would have done anything to stand in front of him so she couldn't see him. I didn't though, gripping my purse strap tighter in my right hand.

"Hi, Katherine. You look well." Tommy replied. To my surprise, he reached out and rested his hand on the small of my back. It wasn't in a possessive manner or anything too serious but it did make Kat's smile damper a little as she gazed over at me.

"I didn't realize you were going to be back in town, Kim." She said, applying an obviously fake cheerfulness to her voice. "Aisha had said you were going through some stuff back in Florida."

"Tommy came down to get me." I replied, leaning into his hand. Add this to the list of things I shouldn't be doing to lead Tommy on. It's growing longer every day it seems.

"Oh. Well, that was awfully sweet of you, Tommy. I'm guessing this is what you meant when you said other stuff to do instead of coming to London this summer." I heard the snippiness in her voice before it registered on her face.

"Perhaps we should locate Aisha and Rocky." Billy said, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly next to us.

"Good idea." I replied. Stepping forward, I walked into the restaurant. It was a cute little place, the smell of pizza and sauce in the air. There was a decent size dining room set up in here; fifteen or so tables covered in white table cloths set up to seat two or four people. There was a counter along the far wall where a waitress was helping a customer with a pick up order. I saw the doorway that led to the outdoor seating area. I walked through it, Tommy on my heels. There were more tables out here, set up along the fenced in area. It was very private and personal out here, lights hung over our heads. It was still too light out for them to be bright but I would bet good money it looked romantic when the sun set. Aisha and Rocky were seated at a table in the left side of the patio area. There were three tables pushed together, no one else sitting out here at the time being. Aisha smiled when she saw me, it fading as she saw Kat trickle in with Billy behind me.

"Hey, guys!" she said, standing up. She stepped around the table, fixing her black skirt as she came towards me. She wore a long yellow tank over it, the color making her skin seem bronze. Opening her arms, she pulled me into a hug. "Sorry. I tried to call and warn Tommy but he didn't answer his phone." She whispered in my ear.

"Can I punch her in her 'down under' if she gets too bad?" I asked. Pulling away, she grinned at me.

"This. This is why I missed you." Rocky stood up from the table as well, giving Kat a quick hug before shaking hands with the boys. Aisha stepped passed me and hugged Kat. Tommy pulled a chair out next to Aisha for me. I sat down, setting my purse on the ground next to my feet. He sat on the edge of the table next to me, Billy taking the chair next to him. He pulled out the chair on his other side for Kat before sitting down.

"I think you've gotten a pretty big table for the five of us, Aisha." Kat said, smiling at Aisha.

"Well, I thought Tanya and Jason were going to be here as well. Her plane was delayed and Jason couldn't make it." She replied, sitting back in her chair next to me.

"Hmmm…and I wonder why that is." Kat stated, sarcasm dripping from each word as she glanced at me. I felt Tommy and Aisha both stiffen in their chairs as they looked over at Katherine. I went to ask what she meant but was interrupted by a waitress dressed in all black.

"Good evening, folks! Glad to see everyone is here now. What can I start you all with to drink?" The girl asked, her long red hair pulled back in a tight bun on the back of her head. She was carrying a stack of menus in her arms that she passed out along the table.

"I'll take a Riesling; the dryer the better." Kat said, opening her menu.

"Um…Kat." Aisha said, leaning forward. "I think it might be best if we keep this a dry dinner."

"Thus, the dry wine." She replied, grinning at Aisha over her menu. Aisha pursed her lips, giving Katherine a look. "What? Why are we not drinking? That's the fun part about weddings! You get together, you eat food, and you drink!"

"It's fine, Aisha." I said, putting a hand on her arm. I gave her a supportive smile, appreciating what she was trying to do for me. "It's not going to bother me."

"You sure?" I nodded.

"Yeah. If you want to get wine, you can. Honest. I'm not going to die if you guys have a drink with dinner."

"Only if you are sure." She said, sounding uncertain.

"I am." I replied, feeling my patience beginning to fray. She nodded, turning to our waitress who had taken Rocky's order of a beer while waiting for Aisha.

"I'll have a glass of merlot." She said. The waitress nodded, jotting the information down. She turned her sights on Tommy and Billy next.

"Water will be suitable for me, thank you." Billy stated.

"That sounds good to me." Tommy added, gazing over the menu. The waitress turned to look at me.

"I'll stick with water as well." She nodded. I took the menu that she had handed me and opened it. I found a list of your typical Italian dishes one would find at an Italian eatery. My eyes lingered by stuffed rigatoni. My stomach growled at the idea, reminding me the only thing I had to eat today had been a donut, 10 hours ago.

"Alright! Take a minute to look over our choices while I run and get those for you." She smiled, heading off towards the main dining hall again.

"Are you against drinking, Kimberly?" Kat asked, closing her menu and setting it down in front of her.

"We don't have to talk about that right now." Rocky said, leaning forward.

"Yeah. That's a discussion for another time." Tommy added.

"Why? What are you, pregnant? I knew Tommy wanted to get back with you but that's seems a bit fast, even for you guys." She said, chuckling. Tommy closed his menu and tossed it down on the table.

"Kat, might I have a word with you?" I said before he could speak. I could feel his anger bubbling over and I knew if I didn't do something, he would do something he would ultimately regret. If he had the power to do so, the Dragonzord might be appearing on Main Street any second.

"Sure." I set my menu down on the table and stood. Kat stood up, pushing her chair in. Tommy went to as well but I put a hand on his shoulder.

"I've got this." I said in a soft voice.

"You sure?"

"I think I can handle her, Karate Guy." I teased, shooting him a wink. He smiled, leaning back into his chair again. I stepped around him and led Kat back into the main dining room. I stopped walking in the far right corner of the room, a good distance from anyone who was still in there eating. "Alright. Are we going to discuss the reason you're being such a bitch to me or we going to keep up these catty insults all night? Believe me when I tell you that you will not win that game." I said, crossing my arms over my chest. She smiled, shaking her head.

"Right. Cause you're better than me." She stated. "How could I forget? Kimberly Ann Hart, the best thing to ever happen around here."

"What the hell did I do to you, huh?" I asked.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But I'm not just going to let you have a free pass on what you did to these guys. Leaving was bad enough but after what you did to Tommy, it about broke his heart. And then with the vanishing act, it was like watching him get that letter over and over again with everyone being the recipient. I'm glad they've accepted you back with open arms again but I'm not that trusting. You hurt them. All of them. Especially Tommy and Jason. The two of them wanted nothing but to make sure you were safe and alright after Trini died and you just disappeared off the face of the Earth. Not a call or even one of your infamous letters. Nothing. Even being in a whole different country, I could recognize how much they missed you but you didn't even care, did you?" It stung to hear her talk about Jason more than Tommy. Had Kat kept in touch with all of them? Was Jason returning her phone calls instead of mine?

"Look, I'm sorry that Tommy didn't want to be with you but that's not my fault-." She scoffed, cutting me off.

"You think that's what this is about? I've always known that Tommy wanted you more than me. Hell, he would have moved mountains if it meant bringing you back here to him. And it was my decision to end things once I realized that. But it killed me a little inside knowing he would rather spend the rest of his life pining for a woman that could give two shits about his feelings than be with someone he knew loved him. I respected his decision but that doesn't mean I have to respect you. It seems like everything you touch turns to shit around here, Kim. Hell, you didn't even have the nerve to come back here after Trini died. I was the one who sat with Tommy and held his hand while he dealt with that loss. Not you. I've been the one calling and checking in with everyone here. Not you. But now, they're just taking you back with open arms like you didn't do a damn thing wrong? I call bullshit on that. I didn't even know Trini that well and I was still a better friend to her in death than you were. Now, how far along are you?"

"I'm not pregnant." I hissed, feeling like she had just reached out and slapped me across the face. She was a better friend to Trini? Right. That's why she was trying to crawl into bed with Tommy right after I fucking left. She wants to give ME a lecture on being a good person? I'm going to rip all that pretty blonde hair out of her head and shove it down her damn throat.

"Then what is it? What the hell did you tell them to make them all suddenly okay with you? Well, obviously not all of them. Or else Jason would have been here. I know it's tough for him to get out but he still would have tried to came if he really wanted to. It's good to see someone still has a brain in this group."

"He's the one who sent Tommy to get me, Katherine." I said, stepping towards her. I was almost to the point of seething, my rational thoughts slipping away. "And if I recall correctly, you only replaced me after I had to quit the team. It's not like I wanted to just uproot my whole life and leave them. And I didn't ask you to take my place with them. Especially not Tommy. If you don't think for a second that Aisha didn't tell me all about you trying to weasel in with my boyfriend, you're denser than I though. That's the whole reason I broke up with him. Granted, I was stupid for that but I knew well enough that you were getting your claws in him. I didn't want to get into the way of that. He was better off with you than me any way. I'm a recovering alcoholic. That's why I was away for so long without contacting anyone."

"Oh." She said, a silence falling over her. I nodded.

"It started after Trini died. I didn't handle it well. Or at all, really. So, I started drinking. I hit close to rock bottom. Tommy came down there and saved me. We aren't back together, either. We just came back here together." I explained. "And I recognize how much he wants to be with me but I can't be with him until I fix what's broken inside of me. I don't know when or if that will happen but I know that he's willing to wait for me, no matter how much I tell him not to be."

"That sounds like Tommy." She said, letting out a puff of air. "I didn't realize about your drinking. I'm sorry. I was just upset with the fact you were here and no one seemed to be upset with it like I thought they should. I didn't mean to cause you to break up with Tommy either."

"It's alright. I know the others are trying to keep it a secret to help me but they don't have to. I'm not ashamed of it. Though, I suppose I should be. It's nothing to brag about but I know it's what I need to get over. It's the main reason I'm back. And if it helps any, I wish I could get Tommy to realize you are better for him. He'd be better off at least. He deserves to be with someone who will care for him and isn't afraid to say so."

"I didn't mean to be so mean to you." She said, rubbing her hands together. I smiled.

"Yes, you did. I would have been to. And maybe you should try him again."

"I can't." She held up her left hand. That's when I noticed she had a rock big enough to ice skate on it attached to a gold band around her finger.

"Wowza." I said, grabbing her hand. "That thing is massive. Who is the millionaire?"

"His name is Henry. We met at university. He's a lawyer for a big firm in London." She replied, smiling brightly. "We started dating after I vacationed there with my parents last year. He tried to get time off for the wedding but he couldn't swing it. You'll have to meet him some day."

"I suppose I will." A silence fell over us again, neither one of us looking at the other.

"Kimberly," She said, finally breaking the silence. "I don't think you were right about Tommy deserving to be with me."

"Oh?" I asked, ready to claw her eyes out again. Why? Because he wasn't some hot shot lawyer? "Why?"

"He deserves to be with someone he loves and who loves him back. And I think we both know that person is you and only you."

* * *

After our heated discussion, Kat and I made our way back to the table where our drinks were now waiting for us. I sat down, Tommy giving me a questionable look. I smiled at him, patting his arm reassuringly to let him know things were fine. Kat sat as well, grabbing her glass of wine.

"I want to apologize to everyone. I guess my attitude this evening hasn't been the greatest. I wish I could blame it on jetlag but I'm a bigger person than that. I want to make a toast for Aisha and Rocky! I am so happy that the two of you are about to begin this journey together. It seems like only yesterday when I met all of you and I am so glad to be able to be a part of your special day. Also, here's to having old friends together again. This weekend will surely be one that none of us will ever forget." She said, holding up her glass. "Here's to new beginnings!"

"Here, here!" Rocky said, holding up his beer. We all clinked our glasses together before taking a sip. I welcomed the ice cold water that was in my wine glass. Though, I would kill for some vodka and a little cranberry juice. I thought against it, knowing very well that Aisha was more capable of kicking my ass than Katherine. I opted to stick with my water, sipping it as the waitress returned and took our orders. The food came rather quickly and soon, the patio was filled with the sound of our chatter and silverware on china.

"Don't forget you boys have to get your tuxes tomorrow." Aisha said, pointing a fork full of salad towards Billy. "Tommy, you sure you don't want to stand up with Rocky?"

"Oh, I'm sure. Plus, someone has to keep Kim company in the audience." Tommy replied. "But I'll make sure the guys get their suits. I'm going with Billy tomorrow."

"Fuck. I have to still find shoes." Rocky mumbled, picking at his plate of ziti.

"Yeah. This idiot decided to not order shoes with his because he swore he had some. Turns out he didn't. So I will be going to the mall tomorrow after my dress fitting to get them." Aisha said, shooting a glare at Rocky. "Speaking of," she turned to me. "Since the boys will be playing dress up, want to come with me for my final fitting?"

"Really? Yes!" I answered, smiling. "Where did you go?"

"Bridal Obsessions. The name is awful but the woman who owns it does beautiful work. I was hoping you would come since you're here."

"I wouldn't miss it. And then I can help you find shoes for Rocky." I said.

"Don't forget we're heading out to my house tomorrow." Tommy added, taking a sip of water. "It's a four-hour drive there. I was hoping to be on the road by three."

"Yeah, okay." Rocky said, laughing. "You're never on time for anything, Tommy. Maybe if you let Kim be in charge, you will get to the wedding at the right time."

"Watch it, Rocko." Tommy said, playfully pointing his knife at him.

"At least we would know that Tommy will be ready and dressed accordingly." Kat said, cutting her lasagna. "And he doesn't have to worry about all that hair anymore."

"Why is it suddenly pick on Tommy time?" He asked, sitting back in his chair.

"It's quite apparently easy to do so." Billy add, grinning at me. Tommy raised an eyebrow at the former blue ranger.

"I thought you were my only ally here, Billy. Apparently, I'm alone in this."

"Affirmative." We all said at once, getting a loud laugh from us all. As I looked around the table at my friends, I felt a happiness fill my chest. There was also a feeling that I couldn't quite place. I realized after a while it was a bittersweet feeling. Jason and Trini should be here right now. She would be here, poking fun at Tommy with the rest of us. She was really good at it as well, making sure to be nice and snarky in the same breath. And Jason would have made sure to check Tommy's ego while making fun of his hair. It was the one thing Jason always loved to point out to Tommy when we were kids. I wished the both of them could be here. I knew Trini couldn't be but Jason could have been. What had Kat meant by her comment earlier? Was he really not here because of me? Why had he sent Tommy to Florida to get me then if he didn't want to see me?

"What are you guys going to be doing in Reefside?" Rocky asked, pulling me from my thoughts. I shrugged, turning to Tommy.

"I just need to check in on things around my house. I figured I would show Kim around. Maybe some of my kids are still poking around before heading off to college. Who knows. We'll be back Thursday though. Just have to figure out which hotel we're going to be staying at." He stated. Billy shook his head, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"If appropriate, the two of you could acquire accommodations with myself. With my father hospitalized, I seem to have spacious room available for persons to enable." He said. I stared at him for a moment, hoping the Billy translating part of my brain would kick in.

"Are you sure, man? We don't want to put you out." Tommy replied.

"Affirmative. I'll make preparations for your return." He said, smiling at the both of us.

"What time are Adam and Zach coming on Thursday?" I asked, glancing over at Aisha.

"Adam said he's coming in really in the morning. Rocky's picking him and Tanya up at the airport around 5. Zach is driving up from Angela's place in Nevada. He said he'd be around just in time for the BBQ." She replied. "Both of them are excited to see you."

"How do they know I'm here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Cause Aisha has a big mouth." Rocky replied for his fiancé. She looked at me, a look of guilt on her face.

"Sorry! It was an accident. Well, for Zach at least. I didn't realize that Rocky was talking to him and not Adam. And I HAD to tell someone so I told Tanya. She told Adam though. I'm really sorry."

"It's fine. I should have remembered who I was dealing with." I teased, smirking at her.

"I did really well though for a while. I last a whole hour before I called and told Tanya. That's a record for me!" She exclaimed proudly.

"It is a wonder that none of you managed to tell the world who we really were." I mused. "I think Billy is the only one here who hasn't spilled the beans on anything since I've arrived."

"You never know." Tommy said, pushing his now empty plate away from him. "Some of us are better at keeping the bigger secrets than we are the little ones."

"Like what Dr. McAvoy told you?" I questioned. He didn't say anything but smirked behind his glass of water instead. I narrowed my eyes at him. This man was going to be the death of me yet.

We finished up our dinner and said our goodbyes outside of the building. Aisha offered to have us all over afterwards but we all agreed it was getting late and we had an early day tomorrow. Tommy and I dropped Billy off at home before heading back out to the hotel. Our ride was filled with talking about nothing, mostly dinner and how it had gone. I checked my cell phone as he drove, seeing nothing from Jason. I didn't bring it up, hoping my nerves were getting the best of me. Tommy had mentioned he might have had something to do today that kept him busy which would also explain his absence tonight. I wasn't about to let my overactive imagination send me into a tizzy yet.

Tommy pulled into the hotel parking lot and killed the engine. I was exhausted, my eye lids feeling heavy. The mix of the long night, the long hike and then dinner seemed to wear me down. My heart about exploded out of my chest though as my cell let out a loud ring while Tommy and I walked towards the hotel room. I flung my purse off my shoulder and dug for it. Anticipation filled my chest as I grabbed it. It faded though when I saw Joey's name on the screen and not Jason. Opening it, I brought the cell to my ear.

"Hey, Joey. How are you?" I asked, Tommy glancing at me over his shoulder as he unlocked the door.

"Hey, kiddo. You sound good! Sounds like that California sun is doing you some good. I'm doing okay. How are things there?" He asked, his voice sounding raspy as it did when I left. I followed Tommy into the room and set my purse on my bed. Housekeeping had been through and it was made, the corners tucked in tightly and neatly.

"Things are going good. We just got back from dinner with our friends. How are things there? How's the Glenmore? How's Maria and Marcus?"

"Jeez. One at a time, Kim. Everything is fine here. The bar is still standing. Hank said Maria and Marcus are doing well. Your apartment is fine too. Somehow, we managed to live without you." He joked, a light laugh in his voice. I sat on the corner of the bed and Tommy disappeared into the bathroom to give me privacy.

"Well, I'm glad. I hope everything is really okay." I replied.

"It is. You worry too much. Tell me about California. Have you seen a Power Ranger yet?" I laughed.

"Oh yeah. A whole bunch of them." I answered, technically not lying. "I'll try to get their autograph next time."

"Yeah. Yeah. It's not nice to make fun of your boss."

"Ex-boss, remember?" I added, recalling the day he handed me that large envelope of money that was tucked safely in the confines of the safe in the bottom of my closet at home. Most of it was in there. I had put some in the bank as well as a safety net for our trip out here. I hadn't told Tommy about the money, unsure if he would assume I'd move out here with it if he knew. I also wasn't sure if Joey had told him about it either. Who knows with the way my life was going.

"Only an ex-boss if you don't come back here. Is this you telling me you aren't?"

"Ha, ha." I said. "I'll be back in one week, Joey. And you better not mess up those books too much." I heard him sigh on the other end.

"Sure thing, kiddo. Have fun, alright? And really, REALLY, think about your decision. You wouldn't want to make the wrong one when the right one was staring you in the face this whole time."


	29. Chapter 29

_**29.**_

The night, I dreamt about high school. It was a bit strange. I had been roaming the halls of Angel Grove High School but as an adult. Tommy and Zach had been there as well, looking as they did in high school. He was even sporting the long hair in the back like when he was the green ranger. Everyone talked about some big dance coming up and whether they had dates. Whenever I tried to talk to anyone, they didn't seem to hear me. I just walked silently through the halls, observing just a typical day here. I passed classrooms and lockers, Miss Appleby standing in the hallway as she gave a student assistance with some assignment. Bulk and Skull even made an appearance, the two bullies trying to hit on some girls who were not having it.

Around a corner, I spotted Jason leaning up against his locker. Trini was standing in front of him, her long hair braided down her back with a yellow ribbon tying them. Both of them turned and smiled at me as I walked near them. She turned, her arms filled with books. She said something I couldn't hear, the noise of the hallway too loud. I tried to move closer to hear here but I couldn't move. She said something else before looking up at Jason who wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He gave her a peck on the forehead and they both headed up the hallway away from me. I went to follow but I found myself heading the opposite direction. Trini looked over her shoulder one last time as me, winking as she grinned.

I woke up and felt like I had been pulled from a nice warm bath. I wasn't drenched in sweat like I normally would be after a dream with Trini in it. Instead, I found myself smiling as I laid there. Trini had looked so good. The teen version of her in the hallway of the high school, a place I hand seen her a thousand times. Though they hadn't been together in high school, her and Jason looked so natural together. I had thought then since we were younger and had even mentioned it to them (separately of course) but neither of them agreed with me. Obviously I knew better than them since they ended up together. It was sad that their time together was cut short though. I remember when they first got together that Trini told me she felt that Jason was the one. That he was the man she was going to marry and build a family with. She knew that without giving it a second thought. That's the type of love people hope to have in their lives.

Rolling over, I saw that Tommy was still sleeping in his bed. He was facing me, his bare chest sticking out slightly from under the bed spread. His chest rose as he breathed deeply, his face looking peaceful as he did. I thought about the younger version of him I had seen in my dream. How carefree and happy he had looked. Much different from the Tommy I was looking at right now. Though he was still a cheerful person, there wasn't much happiness about him. I can tell the difference between real happiness and when he's trying to fake it for my sake. For his performances this summer, he should receive an Oscar. This Tommy has been through Hell and I knew some of it was because of me. I was big enough to admit to it. And I was big enough to know that it just wasn't the break up that had beat him down. It was the constant back and forth toying we've been doing. I knew it wasn't good for him. I knew the truth. He didn't. He didn't know how much I wanted to be with him but couldn't be. That I couldn't make him go through that type of heartbreak again. That would be the only real ending of our story. There would be no happily ever after into the sunset. This would end up with us hating each other and wishing he had stayed in Reefside. It killed me inside to know that was the truth.

Tommy was always going to be the Jason in my story. He would be the guy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. That I saw myself marrying and having kids with. It had been the plan when we were kids ourselves. Every teen couple has that dream though. You'd grow up, get married, buy that cute little house and start popping out babies like a Pez dispenser. That's not how life works in the real world though. Things happen. Like jealousy. Alcoholism. Me. I caused the guy laying in the bed across from me so much pain that I was pretty sure I could be classified as a torture device. Pain that he didn't deserve that for some reason, I thought I had the right to do. Tommy didn't do anything but loved me and I treated him like dirt. I would never be able to make up for that no matter what I did. Not even telling him how I felt could erase the past between us. There was one thing I did know for certain though. No matter what, I can't let things go as far as they did the other night. Especially when we go to his house for the next couple of days. It would just be poking a fire with a match.

I took the opportunity to shower, enjoying the nice hot water. Once I was out, I packed up my things in the bathroom and dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top. Walking out, I saw that Tommy was packing up his suit case. He was rocking some serious bed head, his hair stick up in various spots on his head. He had found a t-shirt to slap on and had replaced his shorts with a pair of jeans.

"Morning." I said cheerfully, walking into the room. I grabbed my suitcase and set it up on the bed.

"Morning." He replied, rubbing his face with his hands. "How'd you sleep?"

"Alright. You?"

"I feel like I didn't sleep at all, honestly. I think it's this bed." He stretched, his back popping slightly.

"Or maybe it's because you have the body of a ninety year from fighting monsters." I offered, shrugging my shoulder.

"Well someone is feeling quiet snarky this morning." He stated, heading towards the bathroom. "Sounds good coming from you though."

"I feel great. Last night was fun. I'm really looking forward to the wedding now. It's been great seeing everyone again."

"I'm glad. I know they are all happy to have you back. Especially Aisha. Sorry about everything with Kat. I honestly didn't see her acting like that in the slightest when I pictured you coming back." Bending down, he grabbed a pair of his jeans from the corner of the room and put them over his arm.

"It's alright. I deserve to get my ass handed to me. I didn't think it'd be her either but nonetheless, it was bound to happen. I'm sure that she just said what everyone else was thinking. We talked it out. I know she's with someone right now but I think she still has a thing for you, Tommy. It might not be too late to try to work things out with her."

"Nah. It just wouldn't work out between us. Plus, Kat is the one who decided we weren't compatible. After awhile, I think we both realized there just was something that didn't connect the way it should have if we were going to be together. It was nothing bad but there was just something about Kat I couldn't get over."

"Oh yeah?" I asked, my ears perking up with curiosity. Did Kat have some big hidden secret that only Tommy knew? Something that didn't make her this perfect blonde goddess. If so, I needed to know it. "What's that?"

"She wasn't you." He simply said, giving me a small smile.

"What?" I whispered, looking at him confused.

"No matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't be what I needed her to be. You. And once we both realized that, we knew it wasn't going to work out. There was no big break up or hard feelings. She just wasn't you."

Tommy went to take a shower after laying that little piece of information on me. It added more guilt to my shoulders, making me feel like a big piece of shit for breaking up with him. I had known what I did all that time ago was shitty. I didn't realize it had put a halt on him moving on with anyone. I always figured that shit just didn't work out with Kat because of how different the two of them were. I'm not saying I wasn't thrilled when he admitted when he first came to Florida that they weren't together. That's more than obvious. But I didn't imagine that it was because he hadn't been able to get passed the fact she wasn't me. And that made me feel horrible. Tommy deserved to be happy with someone. Even if it was someone other than Kat, he still should have tried. But now, I can see why he was still single. He was still hung up on me. He was still holding on to the hope that somehow, our lives would connect again and we would be together. On one hand, it made me sad for him and angry at myself. On the other, I was elated to know that he still loved me that much. Maybe the idea of working on myself and finding a way for us to work out wasn't as stupid as I thought.

After we were all packed up, I helped Tommy carry our things down to the jeep. He ran to the front desk to check out while I climbed up into my seat. It was a drizzly day here in Angel Grove. The sky was gray above my head and there was a wet film on everything. It was muggy on top of the wetness and everything felt sticky. My legs stuck to his leather seats while I waited for Tommy to jog across the parking lot towards the jeep. He pulled open the door and climbed in, water droplets appearing on his reading glasses. He wiped them off on his black zippered hoodie, doing his best to make his vision more clear to drive.

"I hope it's nicer on Saturday." He said, turning the engine over. I nodded, putting my seat belt on.

"I think it will be. At least, that's what the weather report said this morning. I'm sure Aisha would murder a weatherman if not." I said. Tommy chuckled, putting his seat belt on.

"Oh, more than likely. I could see her hunting one down at the TV station. Rocky better watch himself. Once their married, she will have more reason to want to kill him. And no one is gonna stop her." He shifted the jeep into reverse and backed out of the parking spot. Turning the wheel all the way to the left, he shifted it into drive and pulled out of the parking lot.

"I'm surprised she hasn't maimed him yet." I replied, glancing out the window. "Those two were destined for each other. No one else would be better suited for them."

"I agree. They are complete opposites which is why they work so well." Tommy added, reaching over and turning on the radio. The tail end of a Weezer song was playing before heading straight into a Staind number. Tommy turned it down a little, not wanting the music to overpower our conversation. He drove into Angel Grove, the traffic heavier now that it had been all weekend. People were up and moving, heading to work. Many of the people in Angel Grove worked in the big cities around us, mainly Los Angeles. With the edges of the major city just touching our city limits, it wasn't that big of a deal to drive that far for work. Others worked for the factories on the other side of Angel Grove. Then there were those who worked on the docks, running the fishing boats and catering to the busy summer tourist season.

"Do you ever think about what life would have been like if we hadn't become rangers?" I asked, turning to look over at him. He swatted the directional knob, indicating we would be going left.

"Sometimes. You?"

"All the time." I replied. "Where do you think life would have ended up for you?"

"Oh, probably owning my own dojo or working at one at the very least. That had been the plan when I was that age. What about you?"

"I haven't a clue, really. I mean I had my gymnastics but it wasn't like I was really going into it when we were chosen. I don't know where I would be."

"I think you still would have done some great things. That's the kind of person you are." Tommy said, pulling down Billy's street.

"Do you ever regret Rita picking you or you joining us after that?"

"Hmm…" He paused, parking along the curb. "That's quite the loaded question I suppose."

"How so? You either do or you don't."

"Well, there is the part where I did so many bad things while under her spell. People died and were hurt because of that. I regret that part. But if it hadn't happened, I wouldn't have been able to join the team and help so many people either. There wouldn't have been a Dino Thunder team. The gems would have been used for evil. And I don't think I would have had the chance to be as close to all of you guys if I hadn't been a ranger."

"Really? I think we still would have been friends, Tommy."

"Maybe but not like we were. There's something about working together to try and save the world. It builds a bond between people that's different. I sometimes feel like we're closer than most families. I don't think I would like to live a life where I wasn't friends with Jason or Billy. And I surely wouldn't want to have a life that didn't have you in it."

"Flattery gets you no where, Mr. Oliver." I replied, smirking at him. He shrugged.

"Some day it might. What about you? Do you regret getting picked by Zordon?"

"Depends on the day. Some days, I wish he hadn't. I think it was wrong for him to put that much responsibility on the shoulders of teenagers. I get it though. We were young and strong fighters. But I feel like my chance at being a normal teen was robbed because I was fighting monsters between classes. Most days though, I'm grateful. We did do a lot of good and we saved so many people from Rita and Zedd. Sometimes, I wish it hadn't ended. It was my choice to leave though. I knew when enough was enough. If I could go back, that would be one thing I would change."

"What else would you change?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me. Now THAT was the loaded question. My leaving, me telling Trini I didn't want to come back home, me becoming an alcoholic, sleeping with countless men. Or breaking up with Tommy in general. The list was everlasting, growing with each passing day.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied before climbing out of the jeep.

"That would be why I asked." He called, hopping out himself. I ignored him, heading up the walkway towards Billy's front door. "Kimberly!" He called, sounding frustrated. I smirked, winking at him over my shoulder.

"Relax, Tommy. We have the next three days to talk about it. I'm sure we will find the time."

* * *

Aisha had been waiting in Billy's living room for me when we knocked on the door. To my surprise, she was alone. I had half been expecting Kat or Tanya to be with her for her final fitting. When I asked her though, she said that she felt it would be more of a good time for us to catch up than it was to have her entire bridal party following her around. I liked the idea, happy to spend some quality time with her. Billy and Tommy took off in his jeep while I climbed into Aisha's car. When she turned on the ignition, soft rap music came from the speakers. She turned the dial, her French tipped nails twisting it until it clicked off.

"How are things going with Tommy? Have things progressed at all?" She asked, pulling away from the curb. She wore a golden color cotton sun dress with a floral pattern today, her hair tucked into a loose bun at the back of her hair. She seemed to be as if she had rolled out of bed and tossed something on in an attempt to look good. She still did though, her smile radiating as she glanced at me.

"I'm not quite sure if you would call it progression." I replied, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"So…you slept together again." She stated, shaking her head. I groaned, covering my face with my left hand.

"Yeah. Saturday night. He kept asking about us talking about our sex lives with each other. One thing led to another and here we are." She snorted, her eyebrow raising as she glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

"Girl, I don't even know what to say to you. Why don't you just get over whatever is holding you back and just get back with him? I mean you have no issue letting him in…more ways than one." She turned off the main drag and on to the highway that led to Angel Grove mall.

"It's not that easy and you're gross." I shot back, fighting a laugh. "I told you before that I am just trying to protect him. Tommy doesn't need my shitty life getting in the way of everything he's got going for him. He's doing well. I can't change that by inserting myself in the middle of it."

"Oh, something has already been inserted it seems." She replied, not looking in my direction. "If that is how you feel, maybe you should stop sleeping with him. It's only going to lead him into thinking it's going to happen. It's not fair to either of you."

"I know! It's not like I plan on it happening. Both times were just out of the blue mostly. Well, the first time definitely was. The last time was his fault."

"Oh? So it's Tommy's fault that you had sex with him?" She asked, increasing her speed as she merged with the other cars around us.

"In a way, yes." I stated, shrugging my shoulders.

"In what way? In the way where you have lost your damn mind? Cause I feel like that is the only appropriate answer in that situation. You don't have to be ashamed of the fact you two slept together. I just think that you should be doing everything you can to avoid it from happening again. At least until you figure out what you want."

"I can't help it though." I pouted. "It's the best sex I've had in years. Probably since I left California." Aisha let out a loud laughing, the car swerving slightly as she did. She straightened it out, correcting the car while a passing mini van honked loudly at us as it zipped by. Aisha flipped the soccer mom over, swearing at her as she did.

"Yeah, yeah. Same to you bitch!" She called. "I suppose that is a better reason than anything you have going right now. A good orgasm if the gift of life if you ask me. All I'm saying is that someone if going to end up hurt. Either you or Tommy. Probably the both of you more than likely. And after everything you've been through this last year, I think the last thing you need is some complicated booty call making you dive into the bottom of a bottle again."

"It's not complicated." I answered. "I don't think we should be in a relationship." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Tommy just doesn't see that."

"Well of course he doesn't. He sees the girl of his dream needing his help who keeps having sex with him. He probably thinks this is going to end with the two of you together. Don't get me wrong. I think that's what we all want here. But I also want to be realistic and know that you are trying to be too. You gotta look at things like Tommy is right now. He's trying to get back what he lost before. Something that might not be the worst thing for either one of you." She said, pointing a finger at me.

"Enough about my life. Tell me about your dress!" I said, clasping my hands together. "What kind is it?"

"A wedding dress. Nice try." She replied, rolling her eyes. "Fine. We can change the subject but just promise me that you will think about things. I know you're going with him to Reefside for the next couple of days. Try to keep your hands to yourself during that time until you know what you're going to do. Sex just complicates things."

"No. Feelings complicate things. The sex is the easiest part." I muttered, sighing. "But I will. Now can we talk wedding stuff?"

"Don't even get me started. Let me tell you about Rocky's grandmother and our damn seating chart."

Aisha and I talked about their wedding plans the rest of the way to the mall. She told me about the stressful points from Rocky's family trying to be involved more than they wanted them to be to Rocky wanting to sky dive into the reception. I fought hard to not laugh as she described trying to talk him out of it because it was something that only Rocky would think of. It had been his and Tommy's idea to do the sky diving for a cause when we were teenagers. Billy had tried to talk them out of it, showing them the statistics of people dying while jumping from airplanes for entertainment purposes. The idiots didn't care though and some how, we all ended up doing it. Of course, it was nothing compared to the shit we did when we were rangers. But that was stuff we couldn't avoid. Signing up for sky diving was a whole different story. One that I don't see myself repeating any time soon.

At the mall, we managed to find a parking spot fairly close to the main door of the JCPenney's wing where the bridal Shoppe was located. Aisha parked the car and we walked into the large department store, finding ourselves directly in the middle of the perfume section. A woman gave us a free sample of a type of perfume that was clearly meant for women over the age of 60, the over powering smell of lilac almost choking us as we fled for our lives out of the store. Now in the mall, I noticed they had done some remodeling since I had been here last. They had replaced the faded tan tiled floor with black granite, the lights above shimmering on it's waxed surface. There was also a new fountain and I had to laugh when I saw that there was a bronze statue of the Power Rangers in the middle of it. Water was shooting out near the feet as I took a step towards it. The white ranger was in the middle, pink on the left and red on the right. Yellow was on the other side of the red ranger, black next to them and blue on the right of the pink. Of course, none of them were colored due to being brass. I knew who was who just based off the helmets and the builds. I wasn't sure who had designed this but it was a pretty dead ringer for all of us.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked, looking over at Aisha who rolled her eyes.

"It's the statue that they had made for the museum. When they had a new one made, they shipped this one over here. Rocky likes it because it makes my boobs look a lot bigger than they actually are. I caught him trying to take a picture of them right after they stuck it there."

"That's great." I replied, laughing. "I need to take a picture of this for my boss. He's obsessed with all things Power Rangers." I pulled my cell phone from my purse and opened it. I took a quick picture and send it to Joey in a text message.

"Lucky for him he hired one then." She said as we headed towards the bridal store.

"He would die if he knew. I've thought about telling him. God knows the man can keep a secret better than anyone I know." People strolled passed us, enjoying their day. Teen girls were walking around with their friends and arms loaded with shopping bags. Mother pushed strollers with sleeping babies inside. The aroma of the food court drifted around the building, the smell of hot pretzels and some kind of taco stand mixing together. It had been a while since I had been to a mall. We had a huge one in Miami that I like to go to sometimes but I haven't been there much since I started drinking. Not having a vehicle or the will to live puts a damper on the things you like to do. It was odd to be walking the Angel Grove mall with Aisha right now, as if I had taken a time machine back to high school.

"Here we are." She said, taking a left and stopping in front of a store front. It had two large windows on either side of a glass door. In the windows, there were mannequins dressed in wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses and even flower girl dresses. Bridal Obsessions was printed on the door in fancy cursive writing, almost making it impossible to read. Aisha grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open. I followed behind her, walking into the store.

"Hello, ladies!" A cheerful female voice called as we entered. I found myself standing in the middle of a sea of wedding dresses. Along three of the walls in the room, there were racks and racks filled to the brim with wedding dresses. The fourth wall held colorful dresses meant to be prom or bridesmaid dresses. In the middle of the room, there was a counter with a cash register as well as a walkway like it was Fashion Week in Paris. Of to the right of the room, there were two dressing room doors. A taller woman with brown hair in a pixie cut was behind the counter, flipping through a bridal magazine. She stood up straight when she saw us, a bright smile on her face. She looked to be about my mom's age, maybe a few years younger. She wore a black turtle neck sweater with black tights that told me she wasn't planning on spending the day in the sun. Under our feet, there was a beige color shag carpet and the walls that I could see were a deep burgundy color. If she didn't own a bridal store, I would guess one of those odd shops that sells sage and crystals and false hope in the afterlife. She screamed wanna-be psychic louder than anything.

"Hi, Mary." Aisha said, smiling at the woman. "I'm here for my final fitting!"

"Ohhh!" Mary exclaimed, clapping. "Are we getting excited? Getting down to the wire."

"I sure am. This is my best friend, Kimberly. She's here from Florida for the wedding." Aisha said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "She might also need a dress for it."

"Hmmm." Mary hummed, tapping a long red finger nail on her chin. "I might have something off the final sales rack she could bring home today. You've got a great body, Kimmy!" She winked, clasping her hands together. "I'll go grab the dress. You gals make yourself right at home!" With a wave, she disappeared behind a door that led to the back of the store if I had to guess.

"She's interesting." I said, smirking at Aisha who rolled her eyes.

"She's off her damn rocker. But, she did me good with my dress so I can't complain." Mary returned then, a giant dress bag in hand. She motioned for Aisha to follow her and the two went into the fitting room. I perched myself on a stool that was set up along the runway. My phone chirped in my purse and I pulled it out. It was a text message from Joey, four happy faces in a row with a thank you message. I replied back that he was welcome and closed my phone. I paused when I went to put it back. Eyeing the dressing room, I wondered how much time I had. Flipping my phone open again, I dialed Jason's number. He had to be free by now. It was a new day. He was going to answer and we were going to get through this. It rang three times before going to voicemail. I left him another message before hanging up. I also sent him a text, asking him to reply back if he wanted to see me.

"Here she comes." Mary announced, stepping out of the dressing room. "Please, no pictures until the big day." She gestured towards my phone.

"Oh, no. I was just trying to call someone. Sorry." I shoved the phone back in my bag. The door of the room opened and Aisha stepped out. She smiled at me as she carried a big bulk of white fabric in her hands. She walked over to the walkway and stepped up, four inch white heels on her feet. Standing there, she let the dress fall and Mary bent to help straighten it out.

"Aisha," I said, fighting back tears. "You look beautiful." And she did. The gown was made of a lace material, covering her shoulders and running the lengths of her arms. It was a modest neckline, dropping enough to give her some nice cleavage but not enough to give Rocky's mother a heart attack. The gown flowed down passed her feet, the train going a good two or three feet behind her. In her hair, there was a machine veil with lace of the brim. She didn't have it over her face but I could see where it would be on the big day.

"Don't cry." She warned, her voice cracking. "Cause if you do, then I will and we will get nothing else done today."

"I'm sorry. I just never thought I would get to see you walk down the aisle. To Rocky." I said, a tear slipping down my cheek. I stepped forward and gave her a tight hug. "Thank you for letting me be here today."

"Thank you for coming back home where you belong."


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for Drunk Me. It's a bit fluffy, something that I felt Tommy and Kim might need before the next couple of chapters. I hope you enjoy! Remember to R&R!

Also, please forgive me when it comes to writing as Billy. I love using his character but I HATE writing as him. Hahahaha. He's too technically for me.

Anyways, as always, I own nothing to do with the Power Rangers.

And like I told you guys, ASJ is going to be in Beast Morphers! I'm wicked excited to see it. And did anyone else see the super secret project my man JDF is working on with Johnny Bosh and a couple of the other rangers? Fingers crossed it's something more than just a promo for the game. Which, if you haven't played it, I highly recommend it!

Alright. I'm done babbling.

Enjoy!

* * *

 _ **30.**_

After picking up her wedding dress, we browsed through the other dresses Mary had on the rack but nothing really caught my eye. She offered to look through the other dresses but was afraid they wouldn't be ready in time. I told Aisha I had a dress I could wear that I brought with me and she agreed it would do. Bidding Mary a farewell, we left the store and headed back to JCPenney's. I laughed again when we passed the fountain, wondering if the museum statue was any worse than this one was. In the department store again, we found a pair of leather men's dress shoes that were Rocky's size. Aisha paid for these, stating that if he didn't like them, he was going to eat them. I knew full well that it was a good possibility it could happen. I helped her carry everything out to her car, securing the wedding dress on the clothes hanger hook above the door in the back passenger seat. Thankfully, it had a heavy duty bag around it that wasn't see through. She would be able to bring it home without having to worry about Rocky seeing it before Saturday.

We headed back to Billy's house where we found Tommy and him sitting on the front porch. Tommy was sitting on the railing as he talked to Billy who was leaning against the wall near the front door. Both stood up straight as we walked up the front steps. I smiled and gave Billy a hug as we approached, him returning the favor. Pulling away, I turned to Tommy who was looking beat. "Hey. You sure you're going to be up to driving four hours right now?" I asked.

"Yeah. A cup of coffee and I'll be good to go. How'd everything go at the mall? Did you see that god awful creation?" He asked. I nodded, grinning.

"Yes! What were they thinking?"

"Beats me." He replied.

"It is quite the oddity, isn't it?" Billy added, pinching the bridge of his nose. "One would believe that erecting a likeness of superheroes is more appropriate for fictional stories than a shopping plaza."

"Not when it brings people to Angel Grove. We were just a cash cow for the town after everyone was purified." Aisha said, sighing. "Well, I should get home. Rocky's been there with Adam and Tanya all day. I'll be surprised if the place is still standing."

"I'm sure Tanya kept them in line." Tommy replied, giving the bride to be a hug. Aisha nodded, hugging Billy and I next.

"Oh, more than likely. I'm really hoping that Adam and her finally decide to make it official this weekend. Those two are worse than a few other people I know." She shot me a wink before bouncing down the porch steps. "Drive safe, you two! Call when you get in. The BBQ is at one at our place Thursday. I'll see you then."

"Bye, Aisha." I called back as she climbed in her car. She waved as she pulled away from the curb, heading towards their house.

"We should probably hit the road." Tommy said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Would you care for some caffeinated beverages to bring with you?" Billy asked. "I'm able to secure a travelling container."

"Sure, Billy." Tommy replied, nodding. It took me a moment to realize he was talking about a traveling coffee mug. Billy opened the front door and we followed behind him as he walked into the house. Heading for the kitchen, I stood in the door way while Billy grabbed a dark blue travelling mug from a cabinet. Pulling off the lid, he grabbed the coffee pot and poured the liquid into it.

"You sure you're going to be okay with us staying here with you when we come back, Billy?" I asked, leaning against the door jam.

"Affirmative." He replied, handing Tommy the coffee cup. "It'll be exceptional to have you."

"Alright. Just let us know if you want me to bring anything back before we head out Thursday. I'm hoping to be here by noon so we can help set up for the BBQ. Last chance to come with us, Billy. Give you a chance to get away for a couple days."

"I appreciate the offer but unfortunately, my father requires my care during this time. Perhaps next time."

"Sure thing." Billy led Tommy and I outside again and walked us out to his jeep. Climbing in, I noticed that there was a box sitting in the back seat behind Tommy. I waited for him to climb in, putting my seat belt on. Once he was in, I turned back to the box again.

"What's in the box?" I asked, pointing at it. He smirked.

"Alright, Brad Pitt." He replied, pulling the jeep away from the curb. I looked at him confused.

"What?"

"Brad Pit. What's in the box? You know?" He asked, glancing at me. I shook my head.

"Haven't a clue. Though, if he is in there, you may want to find a hotel for the next couple of nights." I added, sitting forward again.

"No. It's from the movie, Seven. It's has Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in it. You've never seen it? It's about a serial killer going through all of the deadly sins. Kevin Spacey plays the best psychopath."

"Can't say that I have." I replied. He groaned, shaking his head.

"We're watching it when we get to my house. I love that movie. I saw it in theaters like three times when it came out. It's brilliant." I smiled as he talked, liking the fact he was opening up to me about something he loved that had nothing to do with me at all.

"You are quite the movie guy, aren't you?" I asked, sitting back in my seat. Tommy pulled onto the highway, gaining speed as he merged into traffic.

"I guess so. Being a single guy who lives four hours from his nearest friend, you have to find ways to fill your time somehow. Plus, the theater in Reefside is pretty nice. It's pretty much all they have in terms of entertainment. My friend Hailey owned an internet café when I first moved her but she relocated to Oregon with her new husband last winter. She helped me with the Dino Thunder team. You would have liked her, I think. I really wished her and Billy had spent more time together. They would have been perfect together. She is the female version of Billy."

"Is she easier to understand than Billy?" I asked. Tommy laughed, nodding.

"Yeah. She speaks English. That was something I was grateful for. She was a huge help. Especially when I was frozen in amber."

"Wait. Hold on. You were frozen in a hunk of rock?" He nodded, merging onto the interstate.

"You could say that. She was finally able to free me but I wasn't able to unmorph. Then, I was stuck being invisible for a bit. I ended up in a coma after that. It wasn't the best time for me you could say." I let out a laugh, trying my hardest not to. "I'm glad my misery can make you laugh."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh but that's something that would only happen to you. I'm glad you've made a full recovery though. Maybe you were right about retiring after that."

"That's for sure. I don't think I have much fighting left in me. What about you? Would you suit up again if you had the chance?"

"I'm not sure. Probably. I think it would depend on who we were fighting and who would be there fighting with me. And if I get to be pink, of course."

"I don't think any other color would suit you."

The four hour trip dragged on, Tommy and I talking to try and make it seem not so bad. As we drove away from the ocean side, the tree line started to grow thicker. Tommy explained to me why Reefside was called Reefside even though it was no where near the ocean. Apparently, the town had been formed many years ago after people were settling from the East. Because of the lack of buildings and such, one could hear the ocean from there still. Since there was a large lake nearby, the assumed that was the ocean. The town was called Reefside and it stuck, even after they discovered they were hours from the ocean. He had been right about there seeming to nothing to do in the city I realized as he passed the welcoming sign. It was similar to Angel Grove, taller building here and there sporting businesses and such. A few apartment buildings and a stretch of chain restaurants and stores lined a long road, reminding me of the strip malls in Miami.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Tommy drove right through Reefside and out the other side, passing a sign that said 'Thanks for visiting!' on it.

"I live kinda out there." He replied. He drove for about another ten minutes, turning on a dirt road on the right side of the road. It grew bumpy now, us jostling around the jeep as he drove. The forest was thick here and we only passed one house on this length of road. On the right side of the road, he passed a DEAD END sign and kept going. Soon, I saw a driveway appear and a house set back a good thirty feet from the road in a small clearing. Tommy pulled into the drive and cut the engine. "Home sweet home." He said, pulling his seat belt off. I did the same, opening my door and climbing out. Tommy's door opened and he headed to the back of the jeep while I looked up at his house.

It was a rustic style ranch home with a small portion of a second story on the west side of the home. The entire place was sided with wood panels that gave it a faded log cabin feel. The windows were trimmed with white and there was a small tin roof overlooking the slab of porch by the wooden front door. Tall windows lined the front of the house where the porch wasn't, blinds blocking me from seeing inside. Around the house, there were bunches of wild flowers growing in tall grass. A stone walkway led from the drive way to the front steps, solar lamps lining the path as well. The house was gorgeous, something right out of Better Homes and Garden magazine. It suited Tommy as much as a house could and for a moment, I wondered if he had planned on marrying someone and having children in this home in the future.

"Don't mind the grass. I'll have to mow it while we're here. It's getting awfully tall. The kid who usually does it for me went abroad for the summer." Tommy said, walking around the back of the jeep with our bags.

"I love it, Tommy." I said, taking my bag from him. "It suits you."

"Thanks. C'mon. I'll show you the inside." I followed behind him as he walked up the stone path to the front door. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. Stepping in, he allowed me to enter before shutting the door again. "Let me open some blinds." Setting his bag down, he walked over to the side of the room and I heard him do something. Light poured into the room as he yanked his blinds open. I was standing in the living room of his home, knowing full well that Tommy had been the one to decorate it. There was a large black sectional along the right side of the room, a matching black entertainment center across from it where a flat screen TV that was bigger than the one he had bought be was set. On top of the center, there were figurines of dragons perched along with other little Japanese figures. The walls were wood paneling, framed posters of kung-fu movies hanging on them. The floor was hardwood, the dark brown running from the living room into the dining room next to it. Stepping forward, I saw there was a decent size mahogany table in here, six chairs arranged around it. The top of the table was covered with mail, computer pieces, and various mechanically parts I didn't recognize. The wood paneling was in here as well, matching the living room.

"It's very nice." I said, turning to face him. "I was expecting a home gym in the living room, honestly." He laughed.

"That's upstairs. Want the grand tour? It won't take long. I can show you where you'll be sleeping."

"Sure."

"Alright." Bending, he took my bag from me. "Well, this is the kitchen." He walked through the dining room and through a doorway where there was indeed a kitchen. It was not paneled in the wood, the walls painted a light chocolate brown color. The hardwood floors stopped here as well, grey tile under our feet. Black appliances were placed in here with white granite counter tops. There was an island in the middle of the room, white stools in front of it. "I probably have absolutely no food in here so we might need to make a grocery store run at some point."

"Sounds like me." I replied.

"Two peas in one hot mess of a pod." He said, grinning at me over his shoulder. He walked back into the dining room and towards a staircase on the south west side of the house. I followed behind him as he headed up them, the hard wood floor returning for the steps. It continued at the top of the stairs, stretching the length of the hallway we were now standing in. He stood in front of the first door, pushing it open. I spotted a bathroom, painted a baby blue color with a white bath tub and matching toilet and sink. "You can put your bathroom stuff right on the shelf behind the door. I never use it." He stated, heading up the hall some more. He pushed open another door, revealing a bedroom. Or what was supposed to be a bedroom. There was a bed in here but it was propped up against the wall near the window. A punching bag was set up in the middle of the room, weights circling it.

"Let me guess; the gym." I said before he could. He nodded.

"It's a work in progress." He added, closing the door. Turning, he opened the door across from it. This was an actual bedroom, the same wood paneling on the walls as downstairs. There was a king sized bed in the room, black and white bedding on it. A dark brown dresser was set up on the other side of the room, a couple of the drawers open. Tommy walked into the room, setting my bag on the bed. "You can have my room." He said, turning to face me.

"No, Tommy. This is your house. I can't take your bed." I objected.

"It's fine. I'll just make up the bed in the gym." He replied, holding his hands up. "This isn't up for debate either."

"Are you sure?" He nodded.

"Yeah. At this point, any kind of bed will do for me. Are you hungry? I can find us something to eat or order a pizza."

"I could eat."

* * *

Tommy was unable to find something for dinner so he settled on ordering a pizza. I helped him clean off a spot on his dining room table where we sat and ate. Afterwards, I went upstairs to unpack and shower. The water felt amazing on my cramped muscles from sitting in the car so much today. It felt wonderful to let the heat soak into them as I stood under the stream. It felt like ages before I climbed out of there. I changed into a pair of grey cotton shorts and a bright orange t-shirt with the Glenmore logo on the back before heading down stairs.

"Whatcha got there?" I asked, sitting on the couch. He had opened the windows in the living room, a nice cool breeze coming in from the forest around us. In the distance, I could hear an owl nestled in a tree somewhere. It's soft wooing echoing around the house, warning it's prey of it's impending doom. Pulling my feet underneath me, I noticed a box was open beside him on his place perched on the floor. It looked like a random array of objects as I peered down.

"I found these a couple months ago going through my mom's attic." He replied, rifling through the box. He brought his hand out and held up a VCR tape. "Shall we take a trip down memory lane?"

"Oh Jesus." I laughed. "I think it's only right that we do. I'll get the popcorn!" I hopped off the couch as he scooted forward towards the television.

"It's in the cupboard over the coffee pot." He called out as I walked towards the kitchen. I flipped on the light when I answered, his white as could be kitchen lighting up quickly. I heard static in the other room as I opened the cabinet door over the coffee maker and spotted the box of popcorn. I pulled it down, grabbing a package from the already open box. Ripping the cellophane with my teeth, I hummed as I stepped over to the microwave. I waited patiently as it popped, the cornels exploding as the heat waves soaked into them. After a couple of minutes, the feverous popping faded and I carefully grabbed the bag from the microwave. It was expanded now, the popcorn filling it. I searched for a large bowl in his cupboards, finding a plastic green one. I pulled the corners of the bag open and poured the contents into the bowl. Steam rose off the buttered popcorn as I threw the empty bag in the garbage. Scooping up three pieces, I tossed them in my mouth before heading back into the living room.

"What's on it?" I asked, noticing he was fiddling with his VCR. There were lines on the television, lighting up the living room with a pale light.

"I'm not sure. I'm rewinding now to start at the beginning. I'm really hoping it's not my naked ass as a baby." He replied, the VCR whining as it sped the film back.

"Wait. Is that a possibility right now? Cause if so, I'm going to need a copy of that to show everyone." I said, sitting on the couch.

"Oh ha ha." He grunted, standing up from the floor. Grabbing the remote for the VCR, he plopped down on to the couch next to be. There was a loud and abrupt clank from the machine and Tommy pressed the play button. The static lines appeared again for a brief moment before shaky footage of the Youth Center appeared on the screen.

"Is this thing even on?" A woman's voice asked behind the camera. In the quick movements on the screen, I could make out the backs of peoples heads as she tried to focus it.

"Yes. The red light is on." Another voice replied. "Martha, if you don't know how to work the damn thing, give it to me."

"Shhh. Stop it. Tommy is coming up next!" Tommy's mother replied back to who I was assuming was his father. The camera was finally able to stabilize and the Youth Center came into focus. The main room was set up for a karate competition, people seated on bleachers around the matt in the center of the room. A score board had also been set up, red lights glowing zeros for each side. From the right side of the screen, I saw the teenaged version of Jason walk onto the matt. Across from him came Tommy, his hair shaggy and kept back with a green headband.

"Not a word." Tommy said before I could make a comment about his hair. I stifled a laugh, taking a bite of popcorn. The two bowed to each other and the referee before fighting. This had been the first time I had ever laid eyes on Tommy. And even in the terrible video skills of his parents, he still looked as cute as I remembered. We watched as the two boys fought, coming up to a draw. There was more bowing before his mother let out a loud yell, calling Tommy's name. His father, Albert, grumbled just loud enough to hear but not make out what he had said. The tape went black, more static.

"I think you could still rock that look." I said, smirking over at him.

"Yeah? You were into that baby mullet look, remember that." He replied, hitting fast forward. The tape jumped a bit before another picture came on the screen. He hit play and I saw we were looking at the Oliver home. I recognized the pale blue kitchen with the white trim around the room. The camera was pointed at the table where Tommy was sitting next to his mother. She was beaming with pride, holding up a birthday cake. He smiled as well, looking sheepishly at the camera. It had always amazed me that even though Tommy was adopted, he looked so much like his mother. She also had dark brown hair and brown eyes and their smiles were similar. The same couldn't be said for his adoptive father though. He had been a shorter man with a balding head of blonde hair and green eyes. Tommy's father died after we broke up. Jason and Trini had told me that. Tommy and his dad weren't very close but I still felt bad for him when I found out. He had been a good man, at times too involved with his work to spend time with Tommy. He always made sure to make it to all his sporting events though and school functions.

"Happy birthday, Tommy!" Martha exclaimed, kissing her son's cheek. "Can't believe you're fifteen already."

"Boys do tend to grow, dear." Albert said, his voice behind the camera. The sound of the doorbell made the three of them turn.

"Your friends are here!" Martha said, jumping up from the table. "Go let them in and I'll finish setting up your snacks." She rushed off screen, heading into their dining room. Tommy slowly stood, wiping his palms on his black pants like he does when he's nervous.

"Hey, Tommy." Albert said, stepping towards Tommy. "You invited that Kimberly girl, right?"

"Yeah, dad." Teen Tommy replied, a blush filling his cheeks. Albert patted Tommy on the back.

"That's my boy. Just lay on some charm and you'll be good to go. Girls can't resist that Oliver charm."

"Not in front of Mom, alright?" Tommy said softly.

"Right. Of course. Go get them, champ." His dad took a step back, recording Tommy as he walked out of the kitchen and into the foyer. It was darker here but light blasted into the room when Tommy pulled the door open. On the other side stood Jason and Billy. Zach stood behind them, each other them carrying a wrapped present of some sort.

"Hey, guys." Tommy said, shaking hands with them as they each walked in.

"Happy birthday, Tommy." Jason said, smiling at him. "Are the girls here yet?"

"Yeah. Okay. Knowing Kimberly, she had to change three times before she left the house." Zach added, walking passed them and into the dining room.

"She'll be arriving shortly though." Billy said, giving tommy a reassuring smile. "No need to preoccupy your mind with doubt, Tommy."

"Thanks, guys. These are my parents, Martha and Al. Mom and Dad, this is Jason, Billy and Zach." Tommy said, introducing his parents to the boys. I smiled when I saw that they were all sporting the silver communicators around their wrists. How the hell did no one pick up on that? Like ever?

"It's nice to meet you boys." Martha said, coming back into frame. "It's so good to see Tommy making friends here."

"Eh. He's okay, I suppose." Jason said, grinning over at Tommy who rolled his eyes. The tape went to black again for a couple seconds before turning back on to the party. Now, the guys were all standing in the corner of the dining room, drinks in their hands. Trini was standing there with them as well, her entrance to the party going undocumented. Tommy wasn't standing there with them though. The camera shakily turned and I spotted Tommy standing in the doorway by the foyer, him looking nervous. He kept checking his watching and taking little sips from the cup in his hands. When the doorbell rang, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Shoving his drink onto the table in front of him, he ran to the front door. Pulling it open, I couldn't see who was there. A couple seconds passed and I entered the house.

"Why were you that nervous?" I asked, glancing at him. "Did you think I wasn't coming or something." He shrugged, rubbing the back of his head.

"I guess so. When Trini got there and you weren't with her, I assumed the worst."

"No. She gave up on me cause I couldn't figure out what to wear." I replied. I pointed at the screen. "It took me an hour to pick out that pink dress."

"It looked great on you though." He added, grinning at me.

"Is that the Oliver charm your dad was referring to?" I asked, laughing. Tommy rolled his eyes, looking back at the TV. Him and I were making nervous small talk together, completely obvious that we liked each other. I hadn't remembered his father getting this much of us on tape though when I thought back to it. Had I just been so absorbed with Tommy that the rest of the world didn't seem to matter? Oh to be young and dumb.

The party moved on, skipping to different parts like opening presents and cake. I noticed that for each of these things, Tommy was right by my side. His mother had to drag him away to the table at one point so that he could blow out the candles, something that made him look embarrassed as could be. The footage of the party ended and the tape ended, the VCR clapping again.

"That was fun." I said, leaning my head back.

"Oh, there's more." He replied, leaning forward. From the box, he pulled out at least a dozen or so more VCR tapes. "My parents recorded everything it seems."

"Remind me to thank your mother sometime."

Tommy put in the next tape and it was filled with his karate competitions. It was the same for the next two aside from another birthday party. It had been a family one, mostly his cousins and relatives there to celebrate his mother turning 40. On the next tape, it opened up on Angel Grove Park. The sun was shining brightly, making everything looked washed out. After a few moments, the lighting fixed itself and I could see the volley ball court. Zach appeared in front of the lens, extremely close to the camera.

"Your parents let you take this?" He asked, looking behind the camera.

"Not exactly. But what they don't know won't hurt them, right?" Tommy's voice answered. He panned left and I saw that Trini, Billy and I were standing off to the side. Jason was also there, making food on a smoking grill. Tommy walked towards us, the camera bouncing with each step.

"Alright, ladies. It's time for Girls Gone Wild: Power Rangers addition!" Zach said, rubbing his hands together. Trini rolled her eyes while I chucked an ice cube at Zach from the cup in my hand.

"Not cool, man." Jason said, pointing his spatula at Zach. "We'll let them kick your ass."

"I was only kidding. Relax." He replied, holding up his hands. "But, I am going to kick your butts in volleyball."

"Dream on." Trini said, scooping up the ball from under the table. Her and Billy started running for the court, Zach behind them. I watched as I stopped, turning to face Tommy.

"You coming Tommy?"

"No. I'll stay here. Keep the teams even." Tommy replied. I nodded before running off to join the others. Tommy shifted and the camera was set down on the table, facing the courts.

"Did you talk to Trini yet?" I heard Tommy ask in a muffled tone.

"Nope. You talk to Kimberly yet?" Jason replied. Tommy let out a scoff.

"We're quite the pair, aren't we?" He mused.

"How are girls this scary?" Jason asked. "I mean, I get why Rita is. She's a scary looking bitch. But this is Trini and Kim. How are we that afraid to ask them to a stupid dance?"

"I've got no clue, man. I feel like Kim wants me to ask her but every time I go to, something happens. Like a giant monster destroying Angel Grove. Or Miss Appleby stealing my note in class. Thank God she didn't read it in class."

"You have it easy, Tommy. If I ask out Trini and she turns me down, I risk my friendship being awkward with her." Jason muttered. A game of volley ball was going now, yells coming out every now and then from the court.

"I don't think she'd shoot you down, bro. You two are too close for that. Besides, you've known her since like birth. I've only known Kimberly for like four months now. I'm afraid she'll just shoot me down entirely and that'll be the end of everything."

"Kim isn't like that." Jason replied. You could see him shift from foot to foot on the left edge of the television. "Trust me. Just ask her. She's going to say yes."

"I sure hope so." The screen went dark as the tape ended.

"Was I that scary to talk to?" I asked, moving the now empty bowl of popcorn off my lap.

"Well, yeah. I had a crazy big ass crush on you." He replied, digging for another tape. "Forget the fact you were only five feet tall."

"If you hadn't of asked me, I was going to ask you." I admitted, readjusting my feet beneath me. He glanced at me over his shoulder.

"Really?" I nodded.

"Yeah. Trini told me I should just go for it so I was going to. But you beat me to it. Plus, I was a bit speechless after you forced yourself on to me." I replied, smirking at him. He shook his head, popping another VCR tape into the machine. It buzzed as it caught in the track, the gears spinning.

"Forced myself on you? Please. I don't recall you every complaining about it." He said, sitting down next to me again.

"I was a weak and defenseless girl. What was I supposed to do?" I asked, pretending to fan myself with my hand.

"Oh, how could I have forgotten that?" He muttered, rolling his eyes. "Admit it though. You liked that kiss a lot more than you thought you would."

"I'm not admitting to nothing, Oliver." I responded, crossing my arms in front of me.

"I would if I were you." He warned, leaning in closer to me. "Or you're gonna regret it."

"Regret what?" I asked, not sure what he was about to do. Aisha's word came to mind, telling me to not cross any lines while we were her. She was right.

"This." To my surprise, he didn't lean in to kiss me. Instead, his arm shot out and he tickled my rib cage with his fingers. A loud squeal emitted from my lips as I squirmed to get out of his reach. It didn't work though as I slid down the couch. He pulled himself up on his knees, giving him better access to my belly as he used two hands to torture me. I was shimmying my way down the couch cushions, my knees raising up to block him. He shoved them aside, laying on top of me to stop my defensive tactics. It was getting painful to laugh, the need uncontrollable as he continued.

"Stop, Tommy." I begged between laughs. "You win. You win." I managed to pant out. He finally stopped, smiling broadly down at me as his face was about six inches away from mine.

"That's what I thought." He said, sounding proud.

"Yeah. Yeah. Your medal is in the mail." I said, playfully glaring up at him.

"Admit you liked the kiss now." He said, not moving to get off of me.

"What?" I asked, sounding innocent.

"Tell me that you liked the kiss."

"It was so long ago. I hardly remember that." I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"It went something like this." Closing the gap between us, he pressed his lips against mine. I moved my hands to stop him but I couldn't find the motivation to push him away. It was a sweet kiss, not like the ones from before that were a means to fuel things up. It was very much like our first kiss and I could almost hear birds chirping as I closed my eyes. Tommy cupped my cheek with his right hand as he deepened the kiss. His other hand moved to my waist, his fingers slipping under my tank top to rest on the skin.

"Tommy! Smile this way. I want to see you and Kat together!" Martha's voice called out, surprising the both of us. Tommy sat up and we both turned to see the source of the noise. The tape had started playing and I saw Tommy standing on the screen, dressed in a full black tuxedo. His hair was pulled half back and his vest was a red color, matching the tie. He seemed to be standing in front of his house and I saw someone wearing a pink prom dress come onto the screen. The teenage blonde was Kat, her hair up in a bun with curls around the base of it.

"Shit." He whispered, leaning over the edge of the couch to find the remote. I took the chance to push him off of me and he rolled right off the couch and onto the floor with a soft thud.

"Sorry." I winced, sitting up. He pulled himself up so he was sitting on the floor, rubbing his elbow.

"What the hell was that for?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Nothing. Just an accident." I lied, shifting so I was as far into my corner as could be. On the screen, Tommy wrapped his arm around Kat's waist and the two posed for her parents to take pictures. On Tommy's face, there was a smile but not his genuine smile. It was more forced than anything, no twinkle in his eyes and no happiness on his features. Kat, on the other hand, was certainly delighted. She looked like she was on top of the world as he put a pink carnation on her wrist.

"We don't have to watch this." Tommy said, raising the remote.

"No. It's fine. I want to." I said, knowing full well I didn't but it this wasn't a mood killer, I didn't know what else would be.

"Look at our boy, all grown up." Albert's voice said behind the camera. "Going off to prom."

"He's not happy though." Martha replied, her voice filled with concern. "I don't care what he says. He's not happy."

"Well, it's been hard for him. I'm sure he will get over it." Albert said back.

"Just look at him though. I've never seen him so sad before. I wish there was something I could do to help him. If only I could go to Florida and bring Kimberly back myself."

"That's called kidnapping, dear. He's starting to get over it, though. He's more active now and he's dating. That's a good sign. I think you worry too much."

"That's my job." Martha sighed. "They make a great couple but she's no Kimberly. I do hope they find each other again. I don't think Tommy will ever be truly happy again until that happens."

"You never know. If it's meant to be, it'll be. Until then, he's going to just have to figure out life, I suppose." Albert zoomed in on Tommy who was standing with the rest of the group now. Together, we watched as he pulled out a wallet from his tux pocket and opened it. He pulled something out, thinking he was alone in his moment. I saw the picture he had dropped at the airport in his hand and I felt a wave of sadness wash over me as it did for the Tommy on the screen.

Silence fell over Tommy and I as the tape end, the light dimming as the screen only supplying a little bit of illumination. Neither one of us moved to do anything, emotion welling up in my throat. He had thought of me, on a day that should have been happy for him. On a day that we should have been together. I was on his mind. I swallowed hard, fighting down the tears. Tommy Oliver, the champion Power Ranger and the all American guy who was set on saving the world. He was the same Tommy Oliver that has loved me since the moment he laid eyes on me. Probably the greatest man I had ever met and yet, I can't bring myself to be his everything. He deserved so much more than the girl who broke his heart.

"Kim, I…." He trailed off, not finishing his sentence. I shifted on the couch, sliding to the edge of my seat.

"Shhh." I whispered, kneeling down on the floor. In the dark, I crawled over to him and climbed into his lap so I was facing him. Placing my hands on his face, I felt him swallow hard. Leaning in, I kissed him tenderly. Pulling away, I looked down at him. "What happens in Reefside, stays in Reefside. Okay?"


	31. Chapter 31

_**A/N: Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter. More Tommy and Kim fluffiness that I think you've earned. It's also to soften the blow of the shit storm that will be coming in the next few chapters. :)**_

* * *

 _ **31.**_

There wasn't much sleep to be had that night. Tommy and spent a majority of it rolling around the sheets of his bed, exploring each other in a way that could only be described as inappropriate for the eyes of children. By the time we stopped for exhaustion, the sun was just peaking over the tops of the trees outside of his window. I watched out the window as it rose higher, Tommy's arms wrapped around me as his chest rose with sleep filled breaths. I knew I should feel guilty. I knew that I should regret this. Maybe I would tomorrow or the day after when we were on our way back to Angel Grove. Right now though, I didn't care. I was happy. The warm feeling of being wrapped up in Tommy was so pleasant that I would have been alright dying right here and now. I smiled as I drifted off to sleep, thanking God or whatever entity above for allowing Tommy to come strolling into the Glenmore that night.

I was awoken a few hours later by Tommy's fingers running up and down my back. I laid there, my eyes still closed as I felt him trace invisible shapes into my skin. Now and then, he would place a tender kiss here and there before running his fingertips over the spot. This reminded me of our times together as kids. The soft and gentle version of Tommy, making sure not to wake me as he did this. Sometimes I wondered how someone so caring could have been a Power Ranger. He wouldn't hurt a fly but still managed to kick some serious alien ass when the occasion called for it. If there was a way to bottle a moment of time to keep forever, this would be one I could settle with. A cramp in my leg caused me to stir and I rolled over on my side to look up at him. His hair was sticking up in the back where he had slept and his chest was bare, the white sheet tossed over his hips just enough to cover anything that would catch my eye.

"Morning, beautiful." He said softly, leaning in and kissing my forehead. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine after someone finally let me." I replied, stretching my arms above my head. I pulled the sheet around me as well as I wiggled in close to Tommy. Our skin touched and he instinctively wrapped an arm around my waist.

"I don't recall you complaining about it." He said, kissing my shoulder. "In fact, I'm pretty sure the words 'Don't' and 'Stop' were used quite a lot."

"Yeah, yeah." I replied, putting my head on the pillow. "Now shush so I can go back to sleep."

"Mmhmm." He hummed, nuzzling my neck with his nose. "Nope. It's time to get up. We've got things to do today."

"Like what? What happened to the plan of staying in bed all day?" I whined, turning my head so I could see him.

"It's already noon. That's at least half the day."

"And your point? You forget that I'm used to working until 2 am every night." I replied.

"Stop whining and wake up. We're going to get some lunch and then I'm going to show you around town." He shifted in the bed, rolling to he was propping himself over me.

"Can I at least shower first?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Of course. You know what a great way to save water is?" He smirked. "We should just shower together. It would be doing Mother Earth a solid."

"Oh, would it now? It would have nothing to do with you wanting to see me naked." I replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"That would just be an added bonus!" He exclaimed.

"Fine but it's just showering. I mean it." I pointed a finger at him. "You stay on your half of the tub and I'll stay on mine."

"Yes, ma'am." He said, sounding a bit defeat. I rolled him off of me and tossed the covers off of me. I rolled off his side of the bed and walked over to my bag. He laid in the bed, watching me as I did.

"What?" I asked, eying him.

"Nothing. Just enjoying the view."

"Boy, that Oliver Charm bullshit is getting pretty thick today." I said, shaking my head. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a tank top from my bag, scooping my bra from the floor where I had left it yesterday.

"It happens." He said, shrugging his shoulder.

"I don't know." I started towards the door. "A nice hot shower by myself sounds awfully tempting…" I grinned at him before running into the hallway. I heard him struggle to get out of the bed, his bare feet on the floor behind me. I darted into the bathroom but he was in here before I could shut the door. He scooped me up in his arms and set me on the sink, laughter ringing throughout the small room from me as he did it. Leaning in, he kissed me on the lips.

"That was pretty clever, Miss Hart." He said. "But I know how to pick the lock. I would have gotten in here anyway."

"Jeez. I guess it has been long for you if you're that desperate." I teased, sticking my tongue out at him.

"I might have to drown you in this tub yet." He shot back, turning around to turn the shower on. Water sputtered out of the shower head for a moment and then a steady stream. Soon, steam was filling up the room, condensation covering the mirror behind me. He turned the knob so the water was cooler, testing it with his fingers. He pushed back the glass door of the shower. "After you."

"Thanks." I set my clothes down on the top of the toilet seat and stepped into the shower. The water was a bit chiller than I liked it. I adjusted the water temperature while he hopped in behind me. He let out a little cry, backing out of the water.

"What are you, Satan?" He asked, sticking his hand under the water. "That's hot."

"You are such a baby." I replied, turning to face him. The water felt fine to me it dripping down my body and into my hair. I stepped to the right so more water was hitting him. He didn't jump but he winced slightly. After a couple minutes, he stepped back into the stream more. Reaching up, he adjusted the shower head so it was hitting the both of us evenly.

"Want me to wash your back?" He asked, grabbed a loofa from the shower rack on the wall. I nodded, turning so my back was facing him. I moved back my hair so it hung over my shoulder in the front. I heard him open a bottle behind me and soon, cool body wash was being rubbed onto my skin. He moved the sponge in small circles, making sure to cover every inch of my back. It was nice, the smell of the Irish Springs mixing with the hot steam. I felt like I was suddenly sitting in a hot spring in Ireland somewhere, waiting on a leprechaun to show up. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling. I noticed though that he seemed to be traveling lower than my back, the loofa skimming the top of my ass cheek.

"Keep it clean, Oliver." I said over my shoulder.

"I am. Hence the soap." He responded back. What a wise ass. Turning, I grabbed the loofa from his hands and let the water rinse the suds from my back.

"Since you can't be trusted back here, it's your turn." I stated. Rolling his eyes, he turned away from me. I ran the sponge over his broad shoulders, feeling his muscles under his skin. It had been a long time since I had seen Tommy's back. It had just as many tight muscles in it as I remembered. I bit my lip, refraining from acting like a little school girl at the sight of them. The water was mixing with the suds, causing them to drip down his back between his ass cheeks. I grabbed the bottle of body wash, squirting more onto the sponge to distract myself. I moved to the back of his arms, washing away any type of shame he might have had from the night before. I moved to the side, letting the water rinse him off. I lathered up the front of my body, the white film coating my arms and shoulders. Tommy shifted so he was facing me.

"Well, that's not fair. What if I wanted another turn?" He asked. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"I'm capable of bathing myself."

"But you're my guest. It would be rude of me to let you do it all by yourself." He took a step closer to me, gently taking the loofa from my hand. He ran in down the center of my cleavage, leaving a soapy trail from my collar bone to above my pelvic region. He lathered up my belly, not missing an inch as he worked. Lifting his arm, he squeezed the loofa over my left breast. Bubbles dripped from it, hiding my nipple as he did so. He repeated the action on my other boob, the sponge no longer able to drip. He placed it back on the rack next to my arm, choosing to use his hands instead to spread the body wash over my breasts. Slowly, he slid his palms and his fingers over them to wash my skin. My breath hitched in my throat when he ran a finger over the buds.

"You never listen." I whispered, casting my eyes to look up at him through my lashes.

"Exactly. Why should I start now?" He replied, leaning in and kissing me on the lips. He bent his knees, bending down so he could scoop me up off my feet by grabbing me around my waist. He shifted, pressing me against the white tile of the shower. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, opening my mouth to accept his invitation to tongue wrestle. He spread my legs so they were wrapped around his waist, positioning himself. Soon, he was sliding in and out of me, his penis as solid as a rock. I was half concerned that by the end of our time here, he would suffer from a lack of brain flow to his brain from this.

"Shit." I hissed as he filled me to the brim. He shifted his footing, allowing him to move his hips while supporting me as well. It didn't take long until I felt the edges of an orgasm coming, the waves it lapping at me with delicious fire. Tommy moved faster, the water drenching us and making things a bit slippery as he moved. He bucked his lips and lost his footing for a minute. I let out a cry as I slid down the wall a few inches.

"You okay?" He asked, righting himself. I nodded.

"How about we make this a tad bit easier?" I asked. I removed my legs from around his waist and set my feet on the floor. Stepping around him, I bent forward so that my ass was in the air. He moved without a second thought, squaring himself up behind me. He gripped my ass in his hands and slammed into me, causing a moan to come from my mouth as he did. I rocked back on my heels, meeting him half way as we fucked. My name rang of his lips as we both dissolved at the same time, his fingers digging into me to hold himself steady. After a few moments, he slowly pulled himself out of me and helped me straighten back up. Sweat was mixing with the water on my skin as I tried to slow my breathing. He smiled down at me, leaning against the wall of the shower.

"I suppose that just defeated the purpose of the shower." He panted. I giggled, leaning against his chest. My cheek pressed against his pectoral muscle as he wrapped his arms around me.

"At least it was good for the environment."

Tommy and I managed to actually shower, washing up after our escapades from last night and today. He went to his room to dress though, his clothes still in there. I changed into mine in the bathroom, brushing my hair and teeth in front of the mirror. He appeared again, sharing the sink with me to brush his teeth. It was weird to look in the mirror and see the two of us getting ready for the day together. If I tried hard enough, I could pretend it was a typical day for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Oliver. Each morning, they would wake up and get ready together. He'd drop his wife off at work before heading to the school with their kids. At night, they would watch TV as a family after eating dinner and making sure homework was finished. On the weekends, they would do fun day trips or spend it with their friends in Angel Grove. It was the picture perfect life. Only, it wasn't real. It didn't matter how hard I wished it, it wasn't meant to be. But for right now, in these hours spent at Tommy's, I was going to pretend like Hell.

"So, what's good to eat around here?" I asked as we locked up his house and headed to the jeep. Tommy had tossed a black t-shirt on and his signature pair of khaki pants, running shoes on his feet. His car keys jingled in his hands as he walked.

"There's a diner here in town that has the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had." He replied, opening my door for me. I climbed in as he walked over to his side.

"Diner food is always good. It's like ranked #2 on my list, directly after bar food. Any chance they have some good cheese fries?" I questioned while he started the vehicle.

"I'm sure they do." He pulled out of the driveway and drove down the stretch for dirt road until he was on the actually paved highway. Reaching over, he took my hand in his and stroke the top with his thumb. I initially moved to stop him but I didn't. I knew I should have listened to Aisha. She had warned me to not fuck with his emotions. I had full intentions of that as well. Too bad it only last a good six hours before it flew out the window with the rest of my shame and dignity. If I was allowing Tommy to have this little bit of time of us together, I was going to take advantage of it too.

"I think I'm going to try Jason again." I said, pulling my cell out of my pocket with my other hand. I flipped it open and dialed Jason's number. It rang the standard four times before switching to the voicemail box. I left a quick message before hanging up. "His machine again. Has he called you?"

"No." He replied, shaking his head. "I haven't heard from him since we got back here. He might be swamped with work. He'll call, Kim." He said, giving me a reassuring smile. "Just give him some time. He'll come around. If not, I'll kick his ass for you."

"My hero." I muttered, turning to look out the window. I wasn't going to let this bring me down. Tommy was probably right. I had just popped up out of nowhere. Jason was probably busy with work. It had been his idea for me to come back. I was going to see him again. He just needed time to make time for me.

"Did you call Aisha last night to let her know we made it okay?" Tommy asked, taking a right into town.

"No. I figured you did." I replied.

"I was a bit preoccupied to think of it." He answered, squeezing my hand. I opened my phone again, picking Aisha's name on my contact list. Hitting send, I brought it to my ear.

"Good to know you're alive." Her flat voice said after the second ring.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just remembered." I said, Tommy smirking at me.

"Right. I feel like you were too busy doing something I told you not to do." Damn. She could read me like a book. It was a good thing she wasn't around during my time drinking. She would have had me pegged in a heartbeat.

"Absolutely not." I lied, tilting my head in hopes Tommy couldn't hear her.

"You're such a bullshit liar, Kim. Enjoy your time away though. I think it'll do the both of you some good."

"Thanks, Aisha."

"And you know you're telling me all about it when you get back, right? I could always use a dish session about some amazing sex." I suppressed a laugh, turning my face away from Tommy.

"Of course. I'll see you Thursday."

"Have fun and be safe!" I closed my phone and slid it back in my pocket as Tommy pulled up in front of the Boxcar Diner. It was on the right side of the street and set back slightly in the lot. He building looked as if it was a train car that had been repurposed into an eating establishment. It had chrome siding, reflecting the sunlight as people walked passed it. There were a couple patio tables and chairs set up out front with people sitting in them. A neon sign was perched on the roof with the name of the diner in pink and purple. A few more signs were in the windows that said OPEN and EAT HERE on them. Tommy cut the engine and we both climbed out, meeting on the sidewalk outside of my door. Tommy reached out and grabbed my hand, leading me up the front steps of the diner.

Inside, we were seated at a both that was covered in red fabric. The entire inside of the place was decorated like someone robbed a thrift store. Posters for movies lined the walls and the slopped ceiling above our heads while odd trinkets like chrome rims and bike wheels hung above the counter that ran the length of the building. The floor was tiled with grey and pink laminate while the tables were covered in a clear coat, advertisements for area businesses underneath it. Most of the booths were filled with people, surprisingly for an afternoon in the middle of the week. A bus boy walked over, menus in hand. Stopping in front of our table, he set them down.

"Hi, Dr. O." The boy said, smiling at Tommy. He was a tall skinny hid with blonde hair and a baseball cap he wore backwards. He wore a blue t-shirt with the diner's name on the breast pocket and blue jeans.

"Hey, Devin. How's your summer been?" Tommy asked, returning the smile.

"Can't complain. And you?"

"Same. Glad to see you're working here."

"Yeah. It's not a bad gig. I can work during the day here and do my internship at the news station in the evenings. Works good for me. What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have an iced tea." Tommy replied, opening his menu. Devin turned to me.

"Lemonade, please." I stated. Devin nodded.

"Coming right up." He walked behind the counter and disappeared.

"Is he a student of yours?" I asked, looking down at the menu in front of me. Tommy nodded.

"He was. He graduated this year. Good kid. Not the brightest bulb in the box though." He said, making sure Devin couldn't hear him. "I had to lie about some of his grades so that he would be able to pass."

"Well, that was nice of you." I spotted cheese fries listed under the appetizer section and smiled. "Cheese fries! Excellent." I closed the menu and sat back in my seat. Tommy raised an eyebrow at me, still gazing at his choices.

"I remember in high school when a certain valley girl I knew wouldn't dream of eating anything with a potato in it, let alone drenched in cheese."

"I wasn't a valley girl!" I exclaimed as Devin came back around the counter with our drinks. He set them on the table along with two straws.

"Here you go. Are we ready to order?" The kid asked. I nodded.

"Can I get a double order of cheese fries with extra cheese, bacon and sour cream on top?" I asked, giving Tommy a challenging look.

"Sure can, ma'am." Devin said, writing my order down on a pad of paper. "And you, Dr. O?"

"I'll just take the pancake breakfast. Thanks, Devin." Tommy responded, handing him our menus.

"Alright. It'll be out shortly." Devin scooped up our menus and headed back to the counter.

"Giving yourself a heart attack isn't going to show me up." He said, ripping the paper off of a straw and sticking it into his drink. I shrugged, doing the same with my straw.

"Me having a heart attack should be the least of your worries, old man." I teased, crinkling my nose in his direction. Leaning forward, he took my hands in his.

"Oh, believe me. I am well aware of that."

* * *

Lunch was amazing, the cook here almost as good as Al. Eating here made me miss Florida and the bar. I wondered what they were doing now. Probably getting ready for the dinner rush to come sweeping in. It was also college night, kids looking to get drunk and lucky. It was my favorite night at the bar for the worst reasons in the world. I shook the thought from my brain as Tommy and I paid for our food and left the diner.

"You were right." I said, rubbing my stomach. "It was pretty good."

"I told you." He said, fishing his keys out of his jeans. We hopped into the jeep and he headed into traffic. It was light, no really big rushes of cars to be seen. Tommy went at a leisurely pace, enjoying the drive.

"Do you like your car?" I asked, looking around at the dashboard. I noticed there were a number of knobs on here that I didn't recognize from when I owned a car. They had weird symbols on them too, something that resembled little boxes on it.

"I love my jeep. We talked about this before. She's reliable. I trust her with my life. Why?"

"Just wondering. It's been forever since I drove last. It's just a lot different than my old car."

"You wanna turn?" He asked, turning to look at me. I shook my head.

"You just said you love your jeep. Why on Earth would you trust me to drive it?" Shrugging his shoulders, Tommy pulled off on the side of the road.

"C'mon. It'll be fun. Think of it as a part of your therapy while out here." He pulled his seat belt off and opened his car door. Making sure it was safe, he jogged around to my side and opened the door.

"Tommy, this is crazy. There's no way I'm driving your car. I'm fine. Really." He put his hands on his hips.

"Climb over there before I drag you into the back seat." He warned. I hesitated, not sure if that was supposed to be a punishment or not. It sounded pretty nice to me. But instead, I undid my seat belt and slid over the middle console so I was sitting in the driver seat. He hopped up into my seat and closed the door. I pulled the seat belt on and clicked it into place. He did the same, shifting so he was facing me slightly. I stared at the steering wheel, my heart thundering in my chest.

"I don't think I can do this." I whispered, glancing at him.

"Yes, you can. Just put your hands on the wheel. That's the first step of driver's ed." He replied. I nodded, slowly lifting my hands and placing them on 10 and 2. My fingers trembled as I did so I squeezed the leather tightly until my knuckles turned white.

"Tommy, I can't." Tears welled in my eyes as the trembling travelled up my arms.

"Look at me." He whispered, reaching over and taking my right hand off the wheel and into his palm. I turned my head, my tear filled eyes looking at him. "You aren't going to hurt anyone."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. We're on a back road no one really uses and you are 100% sober. You haven't had a drink in weeks, Kim. I wouldn't let you do something that might hurt you or someone else. I have all the faith in the world that you can do this." He squeezed my hand. "Remember what we talked about before. Trini wouldn't want you to just stop living because she isn't here to do it with."

"I know." I said, nodding. I took a deep breath, pulling my hand from his and replacing it on the wheel. "Alright. Ten and two." I moved the seat up so I was closer to the steering wheel and I could reach the pedals. I placed my right foot on the brake and pressed it down. "Foot on the break." I gripped the shifting gear in my hand and pulled until the arrow pointed to the D. I checked the mirror on my left while I hit the turn signal stick. No one was coming in either direction. Turning the wheel slightly, I lifted my foot slowly and the jeep rolled forward.

"Good! Now just push the gas some."

"Why? We're moving just fine."

"Kim, we're doing like 5 mph. A snail is going to pass us. It's fine." Taking another deep breath, I took my foot off the brake entirely and gently pressed the toe of my sandal onto the gas. The jeep started moving faster, gaining speed. I held the wheel tightly in my hands, not letting it move an inch without me letting it. The needle on the speedometer was climbing and I lifted my foot slightly when it hit thirty. We were driving now, the car between the two lines in the road. Confidence slowly crept in as the I remembered the motions of driving. I felt the tension in my body slip away as I leaned back in the seat more. I accelerated again, bring us closer to fifty. We passed a sign that said 55 and I edged closer to it.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, letting out a laugh. "I'm driving."

"That you are. You're doing good, too. How about we take her out on the open road. There's nothing but country roads for miles out here. Let's do it."

"Sounds good to me."

Tommy and I spent the next hour, driving around the back roads around his part of town. We passed big beautiful houses that were built on properties set back on acres of land. There was a small lake as well, tall maple trees surrounding it. Ducks floated on the surface and one flew over the jeep as I drove. The road winded down and around the edge of town, passing the leaving sign again. I enjoyed the feeling of freedom as I went along, recalling how much I loved having my own car. It was something of it's own, being able to go where you wanted, whenever you wanted. I didn't have to ask people for rides or resort to taxis to get me to work or the store. I was my own independent person then and it was something I truly missed.

"I think you should buy a car with that money Joey gave you." Tommy said as he directed me back to his house.

"You know about that?" I asked, turning down the long dirt road that was essentially his driveway.

"Yeah. He told me about it a couple days before he did it. Though, he was only thinking about it then. I figured that's why he called you inside at his house. It was very generous of him to do that. He's a real nice guy. Not many people like him." I shook my head.

"No, there's not. I'm lucky to have him in my life especially during all this shit I pulled. I don't know about the car though. I think I'm going to save that money for a bit and figure out what I want to do. I can't stay at the Glenmore forever."

"I'm pretty sure Joey will leave it to you if you play your cards right." I parked the car in front of his house and turned it off.

"Right. Just what ever alcoholic needs is a bar." I handed him the keys and jumped out of the car. We walked up the path to the porch where he unlocked the door and held it open for me.

"What do you think you want to do?" He asked as I sat on the couch. He shut the door and hung his keys from a hook behind the door. I shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I've been thinking about the whole singing option. Maybe I could try for another gig somewhere bigger than the Glenmore."

"I think you would do great. No harm in trying, right?" I nodded as he laid on the couch next to me.

"Right."

"Awesome. I, for one, believe it has been for too long since I saw you naked. So, I'm going to need you to drop your pants, Miss Hart." He wrapped an arm around my waist and laid his chin on my thigh.

"As someone who hangs out with a lot of addicts, I think you, sir, may be becoming a sex addict." I smiled, bopping him on the nose. He smiled, turning his face so he could place a kiss on the skin of my thigh.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure it's not the sex I'm addicted to. Though, it's damn near close." He shifted, bringing my left leg up so my foot was resting on his back. "I have 48 more hours with you and I am not going to waste a minute."


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Good evening, everyone! Here's another chapter for your viewing pleasure. Please let me know what you think by R&R(ing?). If you've been messaging, I apologize for not answering sooner. I have the attention span of a squirrel sometimes and forget to reply back. I'll try to check them again. Feel free to re-message me if I don't respond. Thank you!

As always, I own nothing to do with Power Rangers. Don't sue me, Hasbro!

* * *

 _ **32.**_

Wednesday went by in a lazy blur, Tommy and I barely leaving the confides of his bed. It wasn't just about having sex either (though trust me when I say there was PLENTY of it to be had.) We laid there, talking about the most random things we could think of. We watched cheesy kung-fu movies in the living room once we grew sore from laying in his bed. He ordered Chinese delivery and we did our best to use the chop sticks that came with it to eat, failing miserably when we did. We watched the rest of the home movies, most of them from when he was a kid before he moved to Angel Grove. It was like seeing a side of Tommy I never knew while living a life I had always dreamed of having with him. Playing pretend was a lot easier than I had imagined. It might not have been exactly like this but it was close to what I imagined our lives to be like before I broke up with him. The perfect day faded into another night of love making, our time together etching into my memory like a masterpiece in stone.

All that faded as the sun rose on Thursday morning. I woke up to find Tommy was not in bed with me. I heard noise coming from downstairs and the smell of food drifted upstairs. Sighing, I sat on the edge of the bed with the sheet wrapped around me. Our time together was over. This little piece of fantasy heaven had to end and it made me sad. I had enjoyed these three days, knowing full well that it was something I'll probably regret back in the real world. For right now, I closed my eyes and soaked in the last few moments of this. Then, I stood up and changed, packing my things when I was finished. Tommy had allowed me to wash my clothes on Tuesday and everything smelled like fresh clean linens as I zipped up the bag. I rolled it down the hallway and grabbed my things from the bathroom after brushing my hair and teeth. I heaved the thing down the stairs, setting it by the front door.

"Hey." I said, walking into the kitchen where I spotted him standing in front of the stove. There was a frying pan on the burner in front of him, a big bowl of some kind of mixture on the counter next to it. There was flour smeared on the front of his grey cotton tank top and his dark blue basket ball shorts. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard me, giving me a small smile.

"Morning. Hope you still like pancakes." He said, flipping the one that was in the pan with the spatula he held.

"I do. Have you been up long?" I asked, sliding onto one of the stools by the island. He shrugged, poking the pancake.

"An hour or so. I packed some snacks for the trip back to Angel Grove. I figured we wouldn't be stopping for food since we're going to a BBQ." He stated. Reaching over, he pulled a black plate from the counter top and slid the pancake onto it. Picking up the bowl, he scooped more batter into the hot pan that sizzled at contact with the thick mixture. "I think I'm going to make you drive all the way back."

"Oh, ha ha." I retorted, shaking my head. "I think we're better off with someone who knows how to get there driving."

"It's not that hard. Pretty much a straight shot once you're on the interstate." He replied, grinning over at me. "But I will take the compliment."

"Pretty sure it wasn't a compliment."

"I know. I gotta take them when I can from you."

"You make me sound like a big old meanie." I said, leaning forward on my elbows.

"Well…." He trailed off, flipping the new pancake.

"Oh shut up, Oliver." A silence fell between us, the only sound coming from the greased pan letting out a hiss now and then. Taking a deep breath, I clasped my hands together on the island top. "Tommy, about this week-." He held his hand up.

"No worries. I knew what I was signing up for." He slid the pancake on the plate and poured more into the pan. Putting the spatula down, he grabbed the plate and turned, holding it out to me. "What happens in Reefside, stays in Reefside, right?"

"Right." I took the plate and set it down in front of me.

"Alright then." He turned back to the stove.

After breakfast, Tommy changed and packed a bag for the remainder of the week and another one for when we went back to Florida. He hadn't been sure if we would come back here before that or not so he wanted to bring it just in case. I helped him carry everything out to the jeep and make sure all the windows and doors were shut before he locked up the house. Climbing in, he pulled out of the driveway and headed towards the highway. It wasn't a sober right as one would think. There was a sense of sadness in the car as we drove out of Reefside and onto the ramp that allowed him to merge onto the interstate. Tommy smiled still though when he looked over at me. Like before, he played with the radio until he found a station playing an Eminem song. He sang along softly as we drove, heading back to Angel Grove.

We rolled back into town shortly before noon, Tommy making some record time thanks to low traffic on the highway. As sad as I was to be leaving behind our days together, I was happy to be back in town. I was even more excited to be getting out of the jeep when Tommy parked in Billy's driveway. Billy was working on the Rad Bug again, the hood wide open as I stretched out my sore muscles. He stood up straight, waving at us as he wiped his hands on a dirty rag.

"Greetings. Am I correct in assuming your holiday excursion was comforting?" Billy asked as I walked over and gave him a hug.

"It was nice. Tommy's place is very relaxing." I replied. Tommy walked up the driveway, our suitcases in hand.

"Thanks again for letting us stay with you this weekend, Billy. We really appreciate it." Tommy stated, shaking Billy's hand.

"It's no trouble." Billy said reassuringly. "I can show you to your accommodations if you'd like."

"Sure." Tommy and I followed behind Billy as he led us into the back door of the house. Tommy would be taking Billy's father's room, the last door at the end of the hallway at the top of the stairs. I was taking the guest room, a small bedroom that was painted a light brown color with a beige color trim around the window and door frame. There was a queen size bed in here, made up with white linens and a brown comforter. I hid my frown at the thought I would be sleeping alone tonight and the rest of my time here. It was the agreement though. Even Tommy had agreed to stick to it. I set my bag on the floor near the bed and sat on the corner of the bed. Somehow, I would have to get over myself.

I unpacked a few of my things, hanging up the dress I would be wearing for the wedding on the back of the door. There was a small dresser in here and I put my other clothes in there along with my toiletries on the top. I figured it wouldn't be right to hog up the bathroom when I'd be staying with two full grown men for the next few days. I showered quickly, washing off the sweat and grime from riding in the jeep here and changed into my favorite pink and white sun dress. Coming out of the bathroom, I found the boys sitting at the kitchen table. Billy had also cleaned up and had changed into a white t-shirt and light blue button up shirt over a pair of blue jeans. Tommy had dressed in a pair of tan khakis and a dark green polo shirt.

"How long do you think we'll keep wearing our colors for when we all get together?" I asked, sitting in the open chair at the table.

"Probably forever." Tommy replied, sipping from the cup of coffee that was in front of him.

"Affirmative. Old habits are arduous to halt." Billy stated, nodding.

"Well, I suppose it's easier for those of us that have ten colors to choose from." I raised an eyebrow at Tommy as I clasped my sandal on my right foot.

"It's not ten. It four. Green, white, red and black. Unless you count red twice. Then it's five." He defended, draining his coffee. Billy smirked, shaking his head as he finished his own cup.

"Perhaps it's a positive thing that you've gone into retirement." Billy said, standing up for the table. He pushed his chair in before walking his cup over to the sink.

"You might end the pink ranger next." I teased, putting my other sandal on. "And no one wears that color as good as me."

"I feel like I'm going to be the target of the jokes all weekend long. Is it too late to head back home?" Tommy groaned, standing up. I rolled my eyes, standing to.

"Oh, come on, our fearless leader. You gotta be a bit bravery than that."

Tommy, Billy and I climbed into Tommy's jeep, a cooler full of ice in the back that Billy had packed for the BBQ. We stopped at the store to pick up a couple bags of chips as well before heading over to Aisha and Rocky's house. There were already a couple cars in the driveway and there was some smoke drifting into the sky as we rounded the back of the house. I held up the wooden gate for Tommy and Billy who were carrying the cooler. I stepped in after them, taking in the backyard. It was a nice size piece of land, looking similar to what it was when I was a kid. I noticed they had repaired the shed in the right hand corner and had installed a deck where the grill was. A long table had been set up in the middle of the grass area; food, plates and silverware set up at the various chairs pushed into it. Aisha had even made center pieces that were set up every few feet along the table. I smirked when I saw they were carnations dyed red and yellow, their respective colors.

"Hey!" Aisha called from the deck as Tommy and Billy climbed up the steps to it. They set the cooler down near the back door while I came up the steps, the bag of chips in hand. She walked over and gave each of the boys a hug before turning to me. Behind her, I saw Rocky standing at the grill and Adam Park was standing next to him. The Asian was sporting a longer look with his black hair, it long enough to pull back in a short ponytail now where it hadn't the last time I had seen him. He wore a black t-shirt with a white and brown flannel short sleeved shirt over it. He wore khakis like Tommy, only his were shorts. He smiled at me as Aisha hugged me. He set the beer he was holding down, walking over towards me.

"Hello, Kimberly." He said, giving me a warm hug.

"Hi, Adam. You look great! How are you?" I asked, pulling away. The most timid of the rangers took a step back, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm doing alright. I'm glad you're here. What have you been up to?"

"Just trying to make it, I suppose. I'm still living in Florida, working as a singer." I replied.

"That's great." The sound of the back door opening caught our attention. Turning, I saw a woman emerge with dark skin and short dark hair pulled back by a yellow and brown head band. She wore a matching summer dress, it flowing down her slender figure to her knees. She had yellow flip flops to match. Though I had never met Tanya, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this had to be her. Kat came out after her, both of them carrying tin trays of food.

"Hi, guys!" Kat called as she walked passed us to the table. Aisha grabbed Tanya's arm, stopping her from walking by.

"Tanya, this is Kimberly Hart. Kim, this is Tanya Sloan." She said, wrapping an arm around Tanya's shoulders. Tanya smiled.

"It's so nice to meet you, Kim. I've heard so much about you from everyone over the years. Especially Tommy." She said, a hint of an accent in her voice.

"Thank you. It's nice to meet you too. Aisha talks about you all the time." I replied.

"She better not. She's such a busy body." Tanya said, giving Aisha a fake glare who returned it.

"Go away." She said, bumping her hip against Tanya's who laughed before walking after Kat.

"Where is she?" A voice called from the open back door. "I heard her voice!" A moment later, Zach Taylor emerged from the house. The shorter African American man glanced around the deck, his hands on his hips. Zach was only a couple inches taller than me, something we had in common when we were on the team together. He had the same build as when we were kids, his built torso dressed in a black button up shirt and his shorter legs in black jeans. His hair was trimmed short, a design of strips on the right side of his head. He turned his head, his eyes landing on me.

"Hey, Zach." I said, smiling at him. A broad smiling filled him lips as he suddenly charged at me. Aisha took the chips just in time before Zach hoisted me off the ground in a tight bear hug. I let out a loud laugh as he squeezed me tightly. I returned the hug, hoping it would allow me to breathe a bit more.

"Girl, look at you!" He said, setting me back on my feet. "You are a sight for sore yes, that's for sure."

"Thanks." I responded. "You are looking good, too! Angela is a lucky girl."

"No, I'm the lucky one. She's the most beautiful thing in the world. Well, next to you fine ladies." He winked at Aisha and me. Aisha rolled her eyes, walking over to Kat and Tanya.

"Same old Zach." I grinned.

"I try to be. So, tell me all about Florida."

Zach and I spent time catching up, Adam standing with us as well as he was curious too. I went into the whole alcohol situation, leaving out the points of me being an absolute nightmare. I told them about work and how much I loved it. I even told them about rehab, not wanting to leave anything out. They deserved to know as much as everyone else, them also being casted out by me and my downhill spiral. They stood there and listened, not saying much as I spoke. At the end, both of them gave me a tight hug and told me that they were glad I was there now. As I talked to them, I noticed that Tommy hovered close by keeping an eye on me. Every now and then, I would glance over and he'd give me a supportive smile. I wasn't sure if it was because I thought I needed it or he was doing his best to ignore whatever the hell Kat was telling him and Billy.

"Listen, if you want to work on your singing career, I have a couple friends that might be able to help you out." Zach said as we all headed over to the table to sit for dinner. "One even lives in Miami. He owns a recording studio. He could set you up with a demo."

"I don't know, Zach. I mean, that takes a lot of work and it's not like I'm young like these girls who are coming out now." I replied, sitting down.

"I think you could still make it though! And there's no harm in trying. I can give him a call sometime tomorrow and see if he could squeeze you in. I have a few connections here too if you end up relocating back. I could set up something with them too." I shook my head.

"I'm going back to Florida next week. I appreciate all the help though."

"You're going back so soon?" Katherine asked, sliding into the chair diagonally from me on my left. I nodded, sitting down.

"I have things to get back to like my treatment. I'll be back to visit though. Maybe next summer." Aisha, Billy and Tommy walked over. Tommy sat in the seat across from me, Aisha sitting on my left. Billy took the chair on the end while Adam and Rocky sat on the other side of Aisha and Kat. Zach took the other end of the table and Tanya sat between him and Adam. There was an open chair across from her that I assumed was for Jason.

"Maybe we could all write letters to one another!" She exclaimed. "Oh, wait. Maybe not. Sorry." She frowned at me. "I know how that all went down last time."

"Right." I'm not sure if she's trying to be a bitch now or if it's just coming naturally. Tommy shot me a look, rolling his eyes where she couldn't see. "I think I'll stick with the phone and email. I'll make sure to leave my information with everyone before I head back."

"Until then though, I think we should enjoy the time we have with you." Aisha said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "It's not too often we get so many of us altogether for something that doesn't involved a monster attacking. While the Earth is safe, let's take advantage of it."

"Sounds good to me." Zach said, diving into the bowl of potato salad that was in front of him. Aisha rolled her eyes but didn't protest. The rest of us began to scoop food on to our plates, making small talk while we did it. Once we were all seated and our plates full, Rocky stood up with his drink in hand. Aisha had made sure to stress that it would be an alcohol free event, banning everything from beer to wine for today. Instead, everyone was sipping on homemade strawberry lemonade that she had prepared the night before. It was cool, delicious and just sweet enough to not make you pucker. I was certain it was the same recipe her grandmother used to make when we would visit.

"Aisha and I just want to thank you all again for coming in from all over for our big day. I know it wasn't easy for some of you and we are glad you are all here. I think it's crazy that we're all here right now. I think the last time I saw most of you was about nine months ago. It wasn't for the greatest occasion either. We're both glad that we're all here together for a happy reason now. Aisha might be the insane one for agreeing to marry me but at least I know I'm the lucky one." He held up his cup. "Here's to friends being together."

"To friends being together." We murmured, holding our glasses up. We all clinked our plastic cups, taking a sip of the lemonade as Rocky sat down.

"That was really sweet, Rocky." Tanya said, smiling at the former red ranger.

"Glad you liked it. He'll be saying the exact same speech at the reception." Adam said, smirking at his best friend who playfully punched him in the arm.

"Please. You know I can talk shit more than anyone we know." Rocky said, taking a big bite out of his hamburger.

"I think we can all at test to that." Aisha said, cutting up her sausage patty with a fork and knife. "Remember that time we had to give oral presentations in Miss Appleby's class and he rambled on for ten minutes about nothing because he didn't read the book?"

"Affirmative." Billy said, nodding his head. "It was preceding the time I spent assisting him with the assignment."

"Billy, I can only understand half the words that come out of your mouth. I just went with it." Rocky shrugged. "Besides, I passed the class. All that matters."

"I remember that one time we had to do that stupid play. The one with the spinning wheel." Tommy said, leaning over the table. "I thought spandex was horrible but nothing compared to those damn tights we had to wear."

"Hey. At least you didn't have to act on stage with Bulk. That was horrible." I stated, pointing my fork at him. "And my dress of polyester and itched like a fucker."

"I remember that! Rita stole your grandmother's spinning wheel for one of the ugliest monster we fought. Jase and I had to go to like three different stores to find red tights because heaven forbid a Power Ranger doesn't wear their color." Zach called out from the end of the table. "I mean, we still all do it."

"It's a fashion statement." Aisha replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I actually love the color yellow. You guys have it easy. Black goes with everything." She nodded her head towards Adam and Zach. "Do you know how hard it is to make outfits with yellow?"

"Try green." Tommy added. "I was so grateful when I switched to white. So much easier to shop for. I'm sure my mother thought I was going through a phase or something with all my outfits she had to bleach grass stains out of. She was pissed when I came home covered in ooze after fighting Ivan Ooze. Thought for sure I was going to be grounded for the rest of that summer."

"My Madre was pissed too." Rocky said. "She made me throw it all out. Even my sneakers. That was the thanks I got for saving the world."

"Like Trini used to say, saving the world comes with all the respect of a wet mop." Zach sighed, looking over at the empty chair. "She was a wise one, that girl. And our Billy translator. I sure miss her."

"The first time I think we ever met Trini was right before we joined the team. She was at the Youth Center and we were trying to figure out what to order. She came up, introduced herself, and said that the only smoothie on the Earth worth having was anything Ernie made." Adam said, a small smile on his lips. "We didn't believe her but then Ernie's blueberry mango smoothie changed my opinion."

"Trini was assigned the seat behind me in our second grade class." Billy said, resting his hands on the table. "She was pleasant to me and aided my endeavors of trying to create friendships. She was my only friend for a while. She faced her fears of heights to rescue me shortly after we acquired our powers."

"I remember that day." I said, patting Billy's hand. "She always did hate heights. No matter what, she would avoid them at all costs. She came to my gym to watch my practice the balance beam once and our coach offered to let her try. She took one look at how high off the ground it was and that was it. She was so fearless as long as her feet didn't leave the ground."

"She was very nice to me when I met her for the first time." Kat leaned back in her chair, holding her glass. "I think it was a couple months after we all left the team. Her and Jason came back home to settle down. Any time I saw her, she was warm and caring. She never made me feel like I didn't belong. The last time I saw her, she told me that I needed to come back home for the holidays because they were having this big party. When I told her I wasn't sure I'd be able to foot the cost of the ticket back, she offered to pay for half. She was one of the most generous people I knew."

"The last time I saw Trini, we went out to dinner at their place. Rocky and I weren't sure if we were going to be able to make it but at the last minute, I was able to get off work. I had just started my new job and they were iffy about letting me take an evening off but my boss let me. Trini cooked enough food to feed an army. Or at least Rocky." The group laughed as Aisha spoke. "She gave us some to bring home so that I wouldn't have to buy lunch the next day. And then, she met me during my lunch time so that I wouldn't be eating lunch by myself. They don't make people like her anymore. She was a one of a kind soul."

"That she was." Zach said. "Too bad Jason couldn't make it tonight. I know he's still gotta be having a rough time with everything going on. I was hoping to see him in case he didn't make it to the wedding. Has anyone heard from him?"

"I spoke to him yesterday." Rocky replied, catching my attention. I leaned forward so I could see him. "I called to ask him about today. He's doing okay. Said things have been crazy. He wasn't sure about the wedding yet. I think he'll decide that day. I don't blame him. We all thought that him and Trini would be the ones getting married first. The poor guy deserves a break." I casted my eyes to look at Tommy who shrugged his shoulders.

"He's a tough guy. He'll bounce back after some time." Adam stated, sliding his empty plate away from him. "I don't think anything can defeat him."

"You never know that about yourself until something does." I said softly.

The rest of the BBQ went off without a hitch. We played horse shoes in the pits while Zach showed off some of his dance moves that he "hasn't done since high school." Aisha talked wedding with us girls, making sure the plans for the bachelorette party tomorrow were good to go. I was invited to go but I knew it wouldn't be fair to barge in on something. Besides, they would be going to an all inclusive hotel where an open bar was included. That was just way too tempting for my own good. The boys were having their party as well, Rocky excited about a night out on the town to celebrate his last night as a single man. I offered to hold down the fort at Billy's while everyone was out, looking forward to some alone time. And maybe, just maybe, I could get Jason to meet me during that time as well. It would give us that perfect time to talk without anyone else around. Granted, I would prefer Tommy to be there for moral support but at this point, I would take anything I could get.

I sat on the deck with Aisha as the sun began to set. Rocky broke out some fireworks that were highly illegal and the boys waited impatiently for the sky to get darker. Leaning back in the deck chair she was sitting in, Aisha sighed.

"I don't know about you but I feel like I'm raising toddlers with these idiots around." She said, smiling over in Rocky's direction. "But I suppose it's worth it most days."

"Hey, Aisha?" I asked, looking down at my cup in my hand. "The last time you saw Trini, how did she look?"

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Did she look happy? Did she seem like she was enjoying life?"

"Yeah. I think she was. She loved being with Jason and she loved the life they were starting together. She talked about you a lot, you know. Every time I saw her, we would talk about our last conversations we had with you and how much she wanted you to come back here."

"Really?" She nodded.

"I think she was planning on heading down there and kidnapping you if you didn't come visit soon. Now look at you. You're here with all of us, getting to know Tommy again. Trini would be doing back flips around this yard right now if she was here."

"Too bad I didn't come sooner."

* * *

 **For this chapter, I really wanted to play with the idea of Aisha and Trini being friends. Technically, they met for like half a second on the show. We all know they didn't though since they were replacing those actors due to contract issues. Also, shit is about to hit the fan next chapter! Prepare yourself. :)**


	33. Chapter 33

_**A/N: Hi! Here are two chapters for you guys. Hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **33.**_

Back at Billy's, Billy, Tommy and I sat at his kitchen table and talked some more. We talked about old times and what being the original team was like. For a long time, the three of us were the only ones who were three from the first six and Billy and I were the only two from the first team Zordon recruited. These two were my back bones during that time. Even though I had Aisha to talk to, she didn't understand what life had been like for us before Zordon picked us. When we were just regular teenagers trying to figure out life and school. Looking back, I always thought it was an odd idea to go through school without being a ranger. What did kids do when they weren't trying to save the world? Acne problems? Boy issues? I still had all of that with the added threat of Goldar stepping on me. I accepted the fact we were different a long time ago and I was beginning to see the positive impact being a ranger has left on my life. Including a certain six foot all impact that had a tendency for the color green.

Billy turned in a little after midnight, saying he had to be to the nursing home to see his father early. He bid us goodnight before heading up to his room, saying he would be sure to leave coffee for us. I took the chance to try texting Jason, heading out to the back porch while Tommy used the bathroom. I told him I would be at Billy's tomorrow night and that if he wanted to see me, he could find me here. He didn't respond to my message and I chalked it up to the late hour. Sighing, I sat on the top step and looked up at the sky. It was ink black with speckles of stars strewn across it. Now and then, there was a blinking red light of a plane flying over head. There was a light breeze in the air, rustling the leaves of the trees. I ran a hand through my hair and rested my hands on the back of my neck.

"Hey." Tommy said, coming out the back door. He stepped out and sat next to me, our legs touching as he did. "You okay?"

"I guess. Just thinking about stuff. Have you heard from Jason?" I asked. He shook his head, gazing up at the sky.

"No. I tried calling him earlier but he didn't answer. We could always just pop over to his house tomorrow if you want. Might be easier than trying to track him down." I shook my head.

"I don't want to see him unless I know he wants to see me." I bit my lip. "He wants to see me, right?"

"Kimberly, of course he does." Tommy said, putting a reassuring hand on my back. "He wouldn't have done all of this when he didn't want to see you again."

"I just feel like he's avoiding me. He talked to Rocky. Why hasn't he answered me? Not even a text message. Maybe he changed his mind."

"Listen to me." He took his hand and grabbed mine in it. He gripped it with both of his hands, kissing the finger tips lightly. "I wouldn't have brought you back here if I thought you were going to get hurt. It's the last thing I want. Jason just needs his space right now to adjust. He'll get there. I promise."

"I hope so." I whispered. "Not that I would blame him, you know? I regret everything that happened and I feel like if I had been here when everything happened, it wouldn't be like this. Did I ruin lives without being here?"

"Absolutely not. You haven't ruined anything. Not even your life. It's just a bump in the road. One you've done well getting over so far. You haven't drunk since before we came here and haven't even tried to. I'm proud of you. Really. You are changing things for yourself and the only person you can thank for that is yourself."

"Not really." I replied. "Pretty sure I have you and the entire staff of the Glenmore to thank. But it means a lot to hear that." Sighing again, I looked down at our hands. "Maybe when we get back to Florida, we can talk about things. Like where my life might go."

"If that's what you want. I'm sure Joey will help too."

"I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with and I'm glad you've hung on for this long. You're a trooper. I owe you more than anything I can even think to give you."

"Oh. I think I can think of a way." He said in a suggestive tone that made me smile.

"Mr. Oliver, I believe we agreed to refrained from that behavior while we're here."

"A boy can dream, right?" He replied, shrugging his shoulders. He put his hands behind him, supporting himself as he leaned back.

"What is it about me that you like so much?" I asked, glancing at him over my shoulder.

"It's clearly not your sarcasm." He replied, shooting me a grin. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You slay me with your humor. I'm serious though. You could literally have your pick of any girl you could want. Believe me. I know. I see the way girls look at you. Just watch Kat whenever you're in the same room with her. Any girl would be lucky to have you. Why me?"

"Well, why not you?" He asked, sitting up. "You're smart, caring, compassionate, sexy, brilliantly hilarious, charismatic, sexy, charming, quirky. Did I mention sexy?"

"None of that comes close to covering up the bad parts of me, Tommy. I'm rude, selfish, hot headed. Not to mention the drinking problem, my 'romantic history', and as you mentioned, my bitchy sarcasm. I am a literal nightmare to deal with. Yet, every day since the moment you popped back into my life, you're here. I'm really starting to think there is something wrong with the wiring of your brain." Sighing, Tommy leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Or you need to stop making yourself out to be the bad guy. Sure, you drink. And yeah, you can be a bitch. But so what? That's stuff that you do, not who you are. It's not like those things classify you under a category of people that don't deserve to be loved. You're a good person. Good people have bad qualities about them. That's just the way of life. No one is above that. I'm not the perfect guy, Kim. I'm far from it. I hate doing laundry, I never grocery shop, I always forget to call people back or return emails. I'm sure if you talk to some of my co-workers, they'll tell you that I'm rude as well. No one is perfect and I'm not expecting you to be either. I'm not sure where you got the thought in your head that you weren't good enough for me. I love you. The old you and the new you. Why don't you think you're good enough for me? For our friends?" I stood up, wiping my sweaty palms on my pajama pants.

"Because I blew my chance with you the last time. I had this life. I had you and everyone else. It wasn't good enough for me though. I tossed it to the side the moment things got rough. Anyone who could do that to someone doesn't deserve a second chance. And I know you're going to say that I do and that I'm changing. That might be the case but changing for my future doesn't make the past any different." I tucked my hands in my pockets and pointed my face up to the sky. "It's funny how the sky looks the same here as it does in Miami. After I moved down there, I would sit outside on our dorm patio at night and look up at the sky. I would wonder if you were here, looking up at the same stars at me. If you were safe and at home, Rita and Zedd tucked away for the night. Even after I broke up with you, I would do the same thing. After I started working at the Glenmore, I would walk out at the end of my shift and just watch the stars for a few minutes. Star don't change, Tommy. Just like the past."

"You're right." He said, pulling himself to his feet. He walked over and stood next to me, turning his face up to the sky as well. "But new ones form every day. There's nothing that says you can't rewrite the path you're already started. Sometimes, you just have to find something that's worth changing the universe for."

The sun peaked through the curtains the next morning, bringing me out of a restless slumber. Tommy and I had turned in shortly after our conversation, him offering up half his bed if I needed some company. I was tempted to agree to it but knew better. I told him I would be fine and that I'd see him in the morning. Laying in bed, I gazed up at the ceiling. I missed mine from home. There was no Trump shaped stain or the crack that resembled Texas. It was just smooth dry wall that had been painted white. Inside, I felt something ache. I missed Florida. I missed my house. I missed the Glenmore. Joey. Sandra. Al's cooking. Rolling over, I grabbed my cell phone from the side table and flipped it up. Pulling the charge out of the port, I clicked through my contacts until I found Sandra's name. Hitting send, I rolled on to my back again.

"Hello?" Sandra said after a couple rings. I could hear the sound of traffic behind her voice, telling me she was driving.

"Hey, Sandra. It's Kim." I said, grateful to hear her voice.

"Well hey there, California girl! How are you liking that sun shine? Have you seen my man Mr. Clooney yet?" She asked, a smile in her voice. I let out a laugh, pulling the blanket up.

"No. He must be on to me. How are you?"

"Oh, you know. Living the dream. Hold on. I gotta switch you over to my head set." I heard some shuffling noise, knowing she was connecting her headset. Sandra doesn't like to talk on the phone and drive. She always says that it's too dangerous and she can't afford the ticket that comes with it. So, she uses a headset that plugs into her cell phone so she has both hands free. "There we go! Well, how goes things?"

"Okay. I've got to reconnect with most of my friends here. I was missing you guy, though. I figured I would call to see how things are there."

"Girl, you know it's still as boring here as it was when you left. Well, except for Tuesday night. You know that kid that came here starting trouble with you? The one Joey had the pull the gun out on." She asked. I felt my stomach lurch.

"Yeah. What happened?"

"Well, his buddy came in. He was this young kid I've seen at the bar before. Think his name was Justin? Any way, he came here and demanded to see you. Becky told him to buzz off but he kept up his shit. Finally, Joey and Hank had to kick his ass to get him out of here. Hank busted the kid's lip up pretty good and he'll be sporting a black eye from Joey for a couple weeks. Safe to say that he won't be coming around here anymore looking for trouble."

"I can't believe that! I would have loved to see Joey and Hank kick some ass. And that kid deserves it. Hopefully the swelling will go to his brain." Sandra laughed, the sound of a horn beeping behind her.

"Gotta have one first. How long are we gonna chit chat before we talk about a certain friend of yours? Hmmmm? How are things with tall, dark and handsome?" Sandra and Aisha would be good friends, I thought as I rolled over on to my side.

"He's fine. We're fine." I stated. She snorted.

"Well, aren't you just a fountain of information. Did you two talk? Did you figure out what you wanted to do? I need details."

"Jesus, I don't think you have that kind of time. Let's just say some things happened that haven't changed anything. I'm still coming back to Miami next week as planned." She sighed and I heard the tint of sadness in it.

"Damn it. I was hoping you would tell me you ran off and eloped. That's what I would have done if a hot mysterious man whisked me off to California. I would have been sprinting down the aisle the moment I could have. But I guess that's why I've been single for as long as I have been."

"Tommy isn't mysterious, Sandra. I've known him most of my life." I said.

"I know that. I think you might not know everything about him though. He spent a whole lot of time here with Joey when you were going to rehab. And it was always in Joey's office."

"That was them scheming to get me back to Angel Grove. He told me all about that." I explained.

"Oh! For a moment, I thought maybe him and Joey had something going on. You never know though."

"I can assure you that Tommy prefers the female body. I have seen Joey in those skinny jeans, though." We both let out a fit of laughter that made my chest fill with warmth. It reminded me of my phone calls with Trini. Only I was the one of the West coast this time while Sandra was 3,000 miles the other direction. And I didn't feel sad about the fact we were so far apart. Granted, it wasn't like I was thrilled. But I knew she was okay where she was. I knew that she was only a plane ride away from me and that I could reach her by phone anytime I needed to. I never felt like that when I would speak to Trini on the phone. I always felt sad afterwards, feeling like she was an entire universe away in a place I would never be able to see again. Now, here I was and she wasn't here.

"Well, I'm glad you're having a good time there, dear. I've been thinking of you. Let me know if you need a ride from the airport when you get back. I have to get going. My son has an appointment. I'll tell everyone that you send your love, alright?"

"Thanks, Sandra. I'll see you all next week. Bye."

"Good-bye, dear." We hung up and I closed my phone, resting it on the top of the mattress in front of me. Staring at it, I thought of Jason. He hadn't texted or called during the night. I had made sure of that before calling Sandra. I opened the phone again and dialed his number. Like the fifty other times I had tried, it went to voicemail.

"Jase, it's Kimberly again. I understand if you don't want to see me. I do. Can you please just let me know if that's the case? I won't hate you for it. I just need to know if I'm wasting my time out here or not. Please call me back." I listed my number, making sure to say each number clearly. As I hung up, there was a light knock on my door. "Yeah?" I called, rolling over to see who it was. The door opened and Tommy popped his head in. His hair was wet and combed to the side, telling me he had just gotten out of the shower. He smiled, leaning against the door jam.

"Hey. You hungry? I heated up some left overs from the BBQ."

"Sure. Is Billy back yet?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbows.

"Not yet. Everything okay?" He answered, opening the door more.

"Yeah. Just my daily harassment calls to Jason. I'll be down in a minute." Tommy left and I changed into a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie before coming down the stairs. We ate the left over potato salad and pulled pork Aisha had packed up for us before we left last night. We made sure to leave some for Billy who came strolling the back door a little after 1 pm. He ate with us as well, telling us about his visit with his father. Billy goes there every day and sits with his father during breakfast and lunch, making sure he eats. Billy's Aunt Renee takes the dinner shift so that Billy can have a break. His father seems to be doing alright and Billy is hopeful that at some point he will be able to come back home to live. I felt awful for Billy. I never had to go through something like that and I couldn't imagine watching my mother go through it. He was doing a good job as seeming to hold everything together. I should learn that skill from him. It would have come in handy back when my life was in shambles.

"You guys excited for the bachelor party?" I asked, rinsing my plate off in the sink. Tommy shrugged, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Drunk Rocky is never a fun thing to deal with." He said. Billy nodded.

"Affirmative."

"Well, if you can survive drunk me, you can survive tonight." I replied, walking back over to my seat. "You deserve a night out. The both of you. I can hold down everything here. I can even go over to the nursing home to see your father if you need me to, Billy."

"I appreciate the offer but he will be alright. My aunt is present with him." He responded, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Thank you though."

"Sure thing. What time are you heading out?" I asked. Tommy sighed, standing up from the table and pushing his chair in.

"Rocky wants all the guys over at his place around six. He wants to drink before we go. It's going to be a long night. Not really looking forward to it." He set his plate in the sink and grabbed a glass of water from the fridge. "But it's not every day one of our best friend's gets married."

"Exactly. You never know. You guys might end up having the time of your lives. Or end up with some really embarrassing stories to tell at the wedding."

"I'm leaning towards the latter of the situations." Billy said, smiling over at me.

"You sure you don't want me to drop you off with the girls? It's not too late. They're probably at the spa by now." Tommy offered. I shook my head.

"No. I'll be fine here. Hopefully, I'll have a visitor at some point."

Tommy and Billy got ready for their night out on the town and around five thirty, they both came down the stairs. I whistled from my place on the couch when I saw them. Billy was in a dark blue blazer with a white button up under it. He wore black slacks and dress shoes on his feet, his hair gelled back to keep it out of his face. Next to him, Tommy wore a dark green button up that he left the top button undone. There was a white t-shirt under it and he also wore black slacks and shoes. Their aftershaves mixed together, slightly reminded me of a seventh grade dance. Billy fidgeted with his jacket, buttoning and unbuttoning it over and over again. Tommy made sure his wallet and phone were on hand, shoving them into his back pocket of his pants.

"You boys look nice." I said, smiling over at them. I stood up from the couch, putting the magazine I had been reading down.

"I feel like an idiot." Tommy muttered, buttoning his sleeves.

"Oh, stop it. Everything will be fine. You look good. You're going to be with friends. Maybe you'll meet someone." I offered, shrugging my shoulders. Tommy shot me a look before shaking his head.

"Perhaps it will be an enjoyable evening after all." Billy stated, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah. Okay." Tommy muttered.

"Well, hopefully you'll find a way to get out of this horrible mood you're in." I said. I wasn't sure what was up with him but he hadn't been very cheerful at all today. Had it been because of the bachelor party? Or was something else bothering him? I hoped it wasn't the idea of leaving me alone. I would be alright. It's not like I needed someone to watch me when he wasn't here. Outside, I heard a honk. Looking out the window, I saw Zach's SUV parked in front of Billy's house.

"That's us. You sure you're going to be okay? I can always stay behind if you want me to." Tommy said as Billy walked out the front door. I put my hands on my hips.

"Tommy, I'll be fine. Really. Now, go have some fun. Call me if you need anything. I'll be here, living up the life of a single girl on a Friday night. Don't be a grump all night either." I replied. He sighed again, rubbing the back of his head.

"Alright. Call me if you need anything. I can catch a cab back or something."

"That's not going to happen but sure. Now go." I gave him a nudge, pushing him out the door. He slowly walked out and down the steps. Zach waved at me from the front seat and I waved back. Tommy climbed into the back seat and with one more honk, they were off.

I tried calling Jason again a little after the guys left. Naturally, he didn't answer. I made myself busy, cleaning up Billy's house and reorganizing my stuff in my room. There was only so much to do with the little bit I brought. I read another magazine and flipped through a couple of pages of Jurassic Park. I had found it with my stuff, it hiding in my suitcase when I unpacked. I couldn't bring myself to pay attention though, my mind trying to not think of Jason. After a while, I gave up. I paced the living room floor for a while, willing him to call or knock on the door. When neither of those things happened, I headed back up the stairs and grabbed what I would need to take a bubble bath.

The bathtub in Billy's bathroom was a taller claw foot tub that was wide enough and deep enough for at least two people. I put the stopper in and twisted the handle, hot water filling the porcelain. I added some soap to it to create bubbles while I set up the small radio I had found. I played with it to find a station that would come in, the sound of popular hits from the 90's coming in with minimal static. I slid off my clothes and tossed my hair up in a bun. It had been quite some time since I had taken a bath. At least one where it wasn't because I was coated in vomit or trying to coax myself back to life from the brink of death. The water felt amazing as I dipped my toe into it. This was exactly what I needed right now. If Jason wasn't going to find me or try to work on things with me, that was fine. All that mattered right now was me crawling into this tub and not coming out until it was too cold to stand. Climbing all the way into the tub, I sat down and sank into the water until it was covering me up to my shoulders. I kicked the water off, sighing as I laid back. I rolled a wash cloth up and set it behind my head, closing my eyes. Tilting my head, I relaxed as much as a human could relax. All of my muscles released the tension that was bunched up inside of me and I felt the warm water soak into my skin. This was heaven. It was another one of those moments someone might want to bottle and keep forever.

My moment in Heaven was cut short though at the sound of my cell phone ringing on the counter next to me. I groaned, opening my eyes so I could glare at it. Reaching over, I dried my hand off on a towel and picked it up. A number I didn't recognize flashed across the screen. My heart froze. Could this be Jason? Flipping it open, I brought it to my ear.

"Hello?" I said, listening. All I could hear was loud commotion, something happening that was too loud for the phone to comprehend. Music, maybe? I couldn't be sure. I covered my other ear, hoping to be able to hear something more clear. "Hello?"

"Kim!" A voice yelled over the noise that I now recognized as music. "Kim, it's Rocky."

"Rocky? I can barely hear you." I said.

"Hold on a sec!" He called. There was more shuffling noise and a loud thud, the music disappearing behind it. "Is that better?" He asked, still slightly yelling.

"Yeah. What's up?" I sat up in the tub, the water splashing slightly around me. A defeated feeling filled my chest. I thought it had been Jason. It wasn't though.

"Tommy needs to go home." He stated, his words slurring a little.

"Alright. Want me to call him a cab?"

"I tried that. He doesn't want a cab. He keeps asking for you. So, I called you! Can't you just drive his jeep over here to get him? I would call Aisha but all the girls have been drinking at the hotel."

"Rocky, I really think it would be best to call a cab." I said, frowning. I couldn't drive Tommy's jeep, especially without him in it. I mean, I did drive it back in Reefside but that was back roads with him by my side. Not midnight in Angel Grove. It might not be a huge city but the part they were in was known for a heavier traffic flow with the night clubs there.

"I can't. Just hop in the jeep and come down! I'll get him ready to go. Last I knew, he was falling asleep on Billy at the bar." I groaned, reaching over and pulling the plug from the drain.

"I'll be there in a few."


	34. Chapter 34

_**34.**_

I quickly dressed in my pajama pants and pulled on one of Tommy's hoodies after drying off. Walking into his room, I found his car keys on the bed side table. I grabbed them, feeling my fingers tremble as I did. Walking down the stairs, I did my best to try and calm my nerves. I made sure to grab my wallet with my driver's license in it just in case before walking out the front door. I unlocked the jeep and climbed into the driver seat. The night air was chillier now due to my damp hair and skin. The inside of the car was still warmer though, the trapped air absorbing the heat from the sun beating on it all day. Putting the key in the ignition, I listened as it purred to life. Grabbing the bar under the seat, I slid it forward so I could reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel. I clicked my seat belt in and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Alright." I said, nodding. "I've got this. Just go slow." I put my hand on the shifting gear and pressed my foot down on the break, shifting it into reverse. I slowly backed out of the drive way, checking both sides of the street before pulling out all together. I went north, heading for Main Street. It would be the easiest way to get there, leading directly to the line of bars the boys were at. I verbally kept reminding myself I was fine as I drove and like before, the fear trickled away. I wondered just how drunk Tommy had to be for Rocky to have to call me. I hadn't seen Tommy intoxicated since we were teenagers. At that point in time though, he was still the responsible on in the group and didn't get too drunk to make sure everyone was okay. The one time he did get drunk was for his birthday. Him and Rocky had a beer chugging contest. Tommy ended up hammered, passed out in the backyard of Aisha's parents house. It took two of us to get him up and into Adam's truck before we all got busted. We had thought about teleporting him but it would have been a bitch to explain to Zordon.

I turn down Tilden Avenue and saw the neon lights of bars along the roadway. My eyes spotted Zach's truck along the curb, parked outside of Roadway Bar. There was a large empty space across from it on the other side of the street. I did a quick U-turn and pulled into the spot. Looking around, I saw that Adam and Billy were outside of the run down looking joint. It seemed to be a dive bar that had lost it's charm a long time ago. People were grouped outside smoking while the tired sign above them swung gently in the breeze. Rolling down the window, I waved to get Adam or Billy's attention. Adam saw me first, the tall and slender former black ranger tapping Billy in the arm when he did. Both waved before jogging across the street.

"Hey, Kimmy." Adam said, stopping next to my door. "What are you doing here?"

"Rocky called me to come pick up Tommy. Is he okay?" I replied. Billy nodded.

"Affirmative. His alcohol consumption was a bit overwhelming after our arrival. Perhaps a well suited resting period will aid him to feel well." He stated. I didn't have it in me to try to understand him so I just nodded.

"I think so too. Could one of you go get him for me? I don't want to go in there."

"Understandable. I'll get him." Adam said, giving me a small smile. He checked for traffic before running across the street again, disappearing into the front door of the bar.

"How is he, Billy?" I asked, peering over at my friend who sighed.

"He appears to be experiences emotional distress about something. He refused to communicate about the issues when asked. I believe it might have something to do with the current situation of life." He replied. "Though, I do not believe he wishes to discuss it at the time."

"Of course not." I muttered. "I just worry about him though."

"Everything will be alright, Kimberly. I promise." Billy gave me a supportive smile as someone let out a loud yell behind him. Shifting, I peaked around him and saw that it had been Tommy who was being helped out of the bar by Adam and Zach.

"Let me buy another round!" Tommy exclaimed as the two helped him step down off the curb. He stumbled a bit, trying to catch is footing. Zach was struggling to assist him, Tommy coming in at over a foot taller than him. He managed it though, Adam holding Tommy up by his shoulders. Both looked equally annoyed as Tommy swung his head back and forth on his shoulders to look at the two of them. "Guys, Rocko is getting married! Can you believe THAT?"

"Yup. Sure can." Adam muttered as the group stopped by the jeep. Behind them, I saw Rocky trickle out of the bar as well. He seemed to be walking alright though I could tell that he was intoxicated. He smiled brightly at our group before running over.

"Tommy, look. It's Kimberly." He said as I slid out of the jeep. Tommy's head turned towards me, his eyes taking a moment to adjust. When they finally did, he let out an excited cry and stepped forward. It caused Zach and Adam to stumble and loose their hold on him. I was able to catch him before he face plants, his arms wrapping around me in a loose hug.

"Well hello, Beautiful." He said, looking down at me. "Did you come to hang out with us?"

"No." I replied, giving him a smile. "I'm here to drive everyone home."

"Aww. But the night is young! You told me to go have some fun. Here I am!" He pouted.

"I know but everyone is going home. We all have a big day ahead of us. There will be more fun tomorrow. I promise."

"Okay. Do you want me to drive?"

"No." I said quickly, Zach helping me walk Tommy towards the front of the jeep. "I can. I had all those lessons from you. I think I can handle it." I pulled open the passenger side door and we helped him slide into the seat.

"Ohhh. When we had all that sex at my house! Lets go back there. I liked it there better. It was fun. Can we? I can drive. I wanna have sex." He said loudly. I pursed my lips and closed my eyes as I slammed the door shut. Opening, I saw that all the boys were doing their best to not make eye contact with me. Well, besides Rocky.

"Shit. I called it!" He said, grinning from ear to ear. I rolled my eyes, walking back over to the driver side door. I pulled it open, hearing Tommy sing along with the music on the radio.

"I'm taking him back to Billy's and then taking a bubble bath with a toaster. I will see you all tomorrow. Billy, do you want a ride?" I asked. He shook his head.

"My assistance it needed in preparations of the groomsmen. I will call in the morning about the plans."

"Alright. Go home, guys. Tomorrow is a big day. And do me a favor and pretend you didn't hear that." I hopped up into the seat and shut the door. Leaning out the window, I smiled over at them. "Or else, I'll sick Aisha on all of you."

"Hear what, exactly? I didn't hear a thing." Zach said, shrugging his shoulders. The other guys nodded, faking looks of confusion.

"Smart boys. Drive safely and let me know when you get there, alright?" I called as they headed towards Zach's vehicle.

"Yes, ma'am!" Rocky called out, waving. I watched as they climbed in, shutting the doors. I turned back and looked over at Tommy who was flicking at the tree shaped air freshener that was hanging from the mirror.

"I like trees." He said, smiling. "They're pretty."

"Good lord." I muttered, pulling away from the curb.

I drove slowly, not wanting to cause him to barf everywhere. That was one job I wasn't planning on doing. The entire ride home, Tommy would play with things in the cup holders or poke me. I rolled his window down half way and he stuck his head out, enjoying the fresh air on his face. At one point, he had his head and his shoulders out the window like a dog. It reminded me of Sugar and Spice when they would ride in Marcus's cousin's car with them. I thought back to my drunk moments, trying to remember if I had been anything like this at those times. I couldn't recall, probably because of the alcohol. I didn't think I acted like this though. They do say that different types of alcohol make you react differently. Apparently, tequila makes Tommy act like a three-year-old with ADHD.

Back at Billy's house, I pulled into the driveway and turned the ignition off. Pocketing the keys, I slid out of my seat and shut the door. Walking over to his side, it dawned on me that I would not be able to get him inside by myself. He was almost two feet taller than me and weighed twice my weight. What was I going to do? Knocking him out and dragging him wasn't quite an option. I wondered if Billy had a wheel barrel somewhere that I could use. I opened his car door and leaned across him, undoing the seat belt. He lazily turned his head to look at me.

"You're so pretty." He said, smiling.

"And you're so drunk." I replied, sighing. How the hell was I going to do this?

"I like your eyes. And your nose. If we have babies, I hope they look like you." He said, turning to look up at the sky. I paused, glancing at him. Was that what this was about? Was Tommy drinking to ignore the fact of what was or wasn't going on between us? Shit. I really had fucked with his head while in Angel Grove. This was my fault. He had gotten hammered because of what I swore I wouldn't do. I felt anger in my chest at myself as I forced a smile.

"C'mon, Handsome. Let's get inside, okay? We can talk babies in there."

"Okay." He put his hands on the door and I helped him pull himself out. He carried most of his weight on his own, me just guiding him into the front door. I tossed his jeep keys onto the dining room table as we passed him to the stairs. It was a struggle to get him up them, both of us bouncing off the wall and the banister like a pinball. We managed though, neither one of us tumbling to our doom. It felt like a mile long walk to his room, the sixteen or so steps dragging him. Finally, we pushed his door in and he stumbled through the threshold. I helped him over to the bed where he fell down, face first onto the mattress.

"Can you sit up, please?" I asked, rolling him on to his back. I grabbed his arm and he barely helped as I yanked him into a sitting position. Sweat was pouring down my face now from lugging on him and I knew I would need to shower again. He sat on the edge of the bed, swaying back and forth slightly. I stepped closer and unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off of him and leaving his t-shirt. He let out a giggle as I did, smiling up at me.

"You're so pretty."

"So I've heard." I replied. "How about we take your pants off?"

"Okay!" He slurred excitedly. He fell backwards and tried to unbutton his pants. He could grasp the button though so I assisted. I pulled his dress pants off along with his dress shoes. While he was laying like that, I yanked a pair of sweat pants on him. It was a struggle, sliding his ass into them when it was planted firmly into the mattress. How the hell had he managed to do this for me when I was passed out? Though, he could lift me with one arm. Once he was dressed, I yanked him back up to where he was sitting up again.

"Stand up." I grunted, pulling on him. He did, him staggering as he did. I pushed him around to the head of the bed, shoving him back down. He laid back into the pillow, closing his eyes as he rolled over. I pulled the sheets over him, making sure he was covered up. I also made sure he was face down and would be staying in that position. No one would be choking to death on my watch today.

"Will you sleep with me?" He asked, not opening his eyes. I felt a small smile cross my lips as I picked up his pants. I pulled his wallet and phone from the pocket before draping them over the side of the chair in the corner. I set his things on the dresser, putting his shoes with his pants. He would need them for tomorrow.

"I'll be right here when you wake up." I replied.

"Okay." He let out a sigh of content before slipping off to sleep.

The deep sounds of Tommy breathing made me look up from his feet. He was sound asleep, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath he took. Sighing a sigh of relief, I yanked his boot off and tossed it with the other. I know realized just how annoying it was to take care of a drunk person. He wasn't even as gone as I had been the two times he had to take care of me before I broke everything I could get my hands on at the Glenmore. I had a new founded appreciation for him as well as everyone at the Glenmore for dealing with my ass when I was like this.

Standing, I shut the light off on the bed next to him. I knew what kind of pain he would be in store for tomorrow and I was not envious of that. I would have to rummage through Billy's medicine cabinet to see if there were any headache relief pills in there. He would be needing them. I also slid the waste paper basket over from the desk to the edge of the bed. If he was anything like me, Billy would be grateful I was prepared. God only knew what kind of trouble those boys were possible of causing right now. My prime example? The drunk passed out former Ranger leader in front of me. If only Zordon could see us now. I wonder if he would still think we were the more elite fighting team on the planet that were destined to save Earth. Probably not.

Walking around the bed, I spotted his wallet and his cell phone perched on the dresser where I had left them. Picking up his phone, I looked around for the charger. He would need this tomorrow for the wedding. We were put in charge of transporting the groomsmen. I spotted the cord hanging from the outlet next to the bed. Walking over, I picked it up and pushed the end of it into the slot. The screen lit up brightly and I saw he had a missed call. I told myself to put it down but like I do with most people who give me good advice, I didn't listen. I pressed the okay button and it revealed that the missed call was from Jason. Had he called Tommy's phone looking for me and Tommy was too drunk to answer?

I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed his number quickly. After three rings, it cut to the voicemail message. I swore under my breath. It was probably too late now. He was more than likely sleeping. I moved to put Tommy's phone down when it vibrated in my hand. Jason's name appeared on the screen. I froze, unsure of what to do. Did he just not know my number? I had left it clearly on each message I left. The phone stopped vibrating. I picked up mine again, calling Jason. This time, it was sent to voicemail after only two rings. I tried again, thinking I had called too soon and he was leaving a voicemail for Tommy. It happened again, the call getting cut. Taking a deep breath, I pressed send on Tommy's phone. The call went through and I heard it ring. Bringing it to my ear, I unplugged the cord and ran out of the room as quietly as I could.

"Tommy, where the hell have you been, man?" Jason's voice said in my ear when he answered on the second ring. "Kimmy's been calling me all night. I thought you were going to talk to her this morning."

I stood, dumbfounded in the hallway. He had answered. He had finally answered. Not for me though. For Tommy. And Tommy was supposedly supposed to talk to me about something. Something he had told Jason he was going to do prior to today. Meaning he had been in contact with Jason since our arrival back here in California. Also meaning that Tommy had lied to me since we got here.

"It's not Tommy." I said, my anger now bubbling over. There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Oh what? Because it's me, you can't speak now? Let me save you the trouble then. What. The. Fuck. I came all the way out here to see you and make things right and you act like I'm going to give you the plague if you talk to me. I've been calling you for an entire week now, trying to speak with you and you can't even give me the common courtesy to tell me to drop dead? I get it, Jase. I really do. I get what I did was fucked up and I deserved to be ignored but at least have the decency to tell me you don't want to talk to me anymore. At least tell me that you don't want me in your life. It's all I ask for. I wouldn't have come here if I had known that. I wouldn't have uprooted everything I had in Florida to come back."

"Kimmy, it's not like that." He said, softly. "You don't understand. Tommy and I-."

"Have been lying to me this entire time." I finished for him. "At least Tommy has at least. Don't worry. You can explain it to him tomorrow when he rolls out of bed why I'm gone. I know where I'm not wanted. It's clear to see now that this was a huge mistake. I'm sorry I bothered you, Jason. I hope you have a good life."

* * *

After my verbal attack on Jason, I packed my things in a rage fueled frenzy. I shoved everything I could back into the suitcase and dragged it down the stairs. I didn't bother to wake Tommy, even when I was in his bedroom. I ruffled through his things until I found my plane ticket. Then, I went through the rest of his phone. I saw that he had been in contact with Jason since we arrived in California. Between phone calls, the two would text about it. He had even met up with Jason the day the guys had gone to get their tuxedos. I glared over at him while he slept, his big dumb drunk ass snoring softly away as he slept. I wanted to smack him in the face and scream at him, asking why the hell he had lied to me so much. I didn't though. It would add more drama into this equation.

I took my plane ticket and called the number on the back of it. The woman I spoke to told me that she could exchange my ticket for an earlier flight but I would need to do it in person at the airport. She requested me to arrive at the airport around eleven and she could help me then. I told her I would be there and thanked her for her help. As the sun began to rise, I wrote out a note to Billy. I asked him to explain to Aisha and Rocky that I had to go back to Florida. I didn't leave a reason why. Tommy and Jason could tell them that. The two of them seemed to know the answer for everything. Why would this be any different? It was there fault I was running. They could tell them what they had done and how they had hurt me. Knowing my luck, the whole group knew already. I was probably the butt of their jokes. After I'm gone, they would be laughing it up about me.

As eight rolled around, I listened intently for any sign of life from Tommy's room. There was nothing though, him still passed out. The tequila had done it's job. I shoved my bags under the bench on the front porch where no one would be able to see them. It was easier that way than having to lug them out quietly. I didn't want to chance waking Tommy and having to face him. Assault charges didn't sound the best and I didn't have as much glassware on me as I did at the Glenmore that night. I pulled my phone from my pocket, finding the phone book under the counter top of the kitchen. I looked under taxi cab services, trying to find one that would take me to LAX.

As I searched through them, something on the wall above me caught my eye. Glancing up, I saw that it was a group picture of us at the Youth Center. It had been the day our parents had come down to see your club activities. I saw my mother standing there next to me, smiling. Billy's father was beaming next to him. Next to Trini, I saw her parents as well as her grandparents. Jason was there with his father, Zach with his mother and Tommy with his parents. The picture was old, all of us wearing god awful red t-shirts. It had been a good day and I can still remember the way Trini's grandmother laughed when Trini showed her the flowers from the gardening club. The two had always been close, her grandmother passing away the summer before we started tenth grade. Her grandfather passed a short time later, right before she went with Jason and Zach to Switzerland. Trini had always said she was thankful she had been here to be able to attend his funeral and spend those last days with him. They were two people in this world that she valued more than anything.

I closed the phone book and shoved my phone back in my pocket. I couldn't leave yet. I haven't accomplished everything that I told Dr. McAvoy that I would do. Shoving shoes on my feet, I walked out of the front door and down the stairs. Taking a right, I headed up the street towards the intersection. There was some minor traffic going, people heading to summer weekend activities and work. I kept walking, heading through the middle of town and eight blocks passed the former Youth Center. It was warm out today but the sky was dark and heavy with rain. It looked as if the sky could open at any moment, gallons of water waiting to pour. I pulled my jean jacket around me tighter, veering off of Main Street and heading down Abraham Ave.

At the end of the road, I spotted a gate with cast iron letters attached to the top of the archway. Angel Grove was spelt out here, a smaller sign reading CEMENTARY underneath it. I glanced around, seeing if anyone was there. When I saw no one, I walked faster up the paced portion of the road. Angel Grove Cemetery was constructed more than a hundred years ago. It's grown so large that there was a need to purchase more land to make up free space. It had originally been just fifteen head stones on a small hill for those who were coming to California to settle for gold. It expanded every year since then, their headstones still the original ones in the grass covered memorial sight. I passed their burial grounds, a gated off section of the cemetery.

Taking a right hand turn, I went off the paved road and on to a dirt path. It was a familiar one, a path I had taken with Trini before. It winded down a hill, going deeper and deeper into the cemetery. Trees began to line the outskirts of the area as I walked. Small trees like birch and crab apple sprouted here or there along the path, causing me to duck when I came too close. I rounded a bend in the road, the tree line coming closer. I was surrounded now, the headstones thinning out. I spotted a large grey stone up ahead, Patel engraved into the back of it with big bold letters. My steps slowed now as I came closer. These were Trini's grandparents. I had come with her a number of times after her grandmother died and had made the trip myself for Trini when her grandfather died. She would ask me to leave flowers and a positive feeling so they would know she was okay. As I walked around the stone, I saw that there fresh flowers on their grave, bright pink and purple blossoms. Her grandfather was listed on the left part of the stone, his dates under it. Her grandmother took the right side, the writing looking as if it had always been apart of the garnet.

I stopped here, taking a look around. If Trini was buried here, it would be with them. It was something we had joked about in person, especially when Tommy was the evil Green Ranger. She always said something about be buried here. I turned, trying to see any of the headstone with names on them that would match hers. Both sides were filled up with individuals who were already laid to rest long before Trini did. She had to be here somewhere. It wasn't like I could ask for a map of the area. Sighing, I turned back around and that's when I spotted it. Perched about ten feet away, I saw the stone underneath the branches of a willow tree. I knew without seeing the name that it was hers. Taking a deep breath, I stepped towards it, dried leaves crunching under my feet as I did.

The headstone was a beautiful slab of black granite, flakes of gold and silver dancing on the surface. The grooves from the engraving were a grey color, swooping and bending with the curves of the words written on it. Trini Kwan; Beloved friend, fiancé and daughter. The dates were written under there, a time frame that was much too short for my own liking. There was a small oval shaped picture on her attached to the stone, covered in a protective film like the rest of the stone. There was also a carving of a rose on the right side of the stone. That was Trini's favorite flower, especially in yellow. Bending down, I set my hand on top of the base of the stone.

"Hey, Trini." I whispered. "I'm here. Sorry it took so long for me to get here but I'm finally here." The rain started to fall now, drops of it trickling down her headstone like tear drops. I took a deep breath, feeling it catch slightly in my chest. "I should have been here sooner but you know me. I make all the wrong decisions before I settle on the right one. I guess I need to work on that more, huh?" I pulled my jacket around me tighter, shivering from the cold that wasn't there. "Where do I even start, Tri? I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I told you I didn't want to come back for Thanksgiving. I'm sorry I didn't come back for your funeral. I'm sorry I let my life take such a dive. I am so sorry."

A tear slid down my cheek. Everything in my life that has been spiraling out of control all started the moment I got that phone call in October. When I discovered my best friend had been stolen from me, it was like someone took me and stuck in a blender on high. Now that I stood here in front of her final resting place, I somewhat felt like she was standing there with me. That she knew I was here and was listening to me. I knew it was stupid sounding but I couldn't shake the feeling.

"What did I do, Trini?" I whispered. "I messed everything up. I turned my back on everyone, even Jason. And then Tommy came down to save me and I can't even tell him how I feel. If you were here, you would just tell me to suck it up and act like a grown woman. I haven't felt that brave since you left. I wish with everything inside of me that I could go back and change everything. I would tell you that I wanted to come home for the holidays. I would tell you not to take that night class. I would have stopped you from going. Or I would have at least come back to be with Jason. To help him deal with everything instead of running like the chicken shit I am."

"Why is it that after everything we faced as rangers, I am the biggest enemy I have to face? It seems like I'm fighting an uphill battle where I'm at the top throwing shit down on top of me. No matter how hard I try to fix things, I end up fucking them up even worse. You should be here instead of me. You had the dreams I didn't dare to have. You were making something of yourself while I settled for good enough down in Florida. You had the ambition to change the world, to stop cancer, to save us from ourselves. I can't even find the strength to fight myself anymore. Why do I deserve to be here more than you do? It's not fair, Trini. I would trade my life for yours in a heartbeat. You deserve to live. You had a purpose on this Earth. I don't. And I don't know if it's God or some divine power but they got it wrong when they took you." A sob escaped my lips as I felt my body tremble.

"It's not right. Or fair. Or logical that you were killed. I just want to find that guy and kill him myself. I think about it all the time. I want to hurt him like he hurt you. I don't care if he has a family or whatever. He took you from us. He took you away from Jason. He destroyed something beautiful with a stupid decision that he was able to walk away from. How is it that someone so young and full of life gets to just die because of that? How is that at all right in this world? How is it that everyone can move on with their lives like nothing happened? That they get to enjoy life while you're here, under the ground. It makes me want to scream and cry and hurt something. But it doesn't matter. No matter how hard I do any one of those things, you still won't come back. Even trying to drink myself to death didn't stop the pain of losing you. I tried every night. Sometimes, I would see you. It wasn't you though. It was just something my mind wanted me to see to try to survive. I don't know if I can though. If I keep fucking shit up in my life, I won't have much of a life to live." Sighing, I looked up towards the sky.

"Do you remember when we first became rangers? We made a promise to not let the boys over take us since we were outnumbered. I don't know why we thought they would. We both know that we could have taken Billy. And then when Tommy joined the team, we repeated that promise because there was yet another penis in the mix. When I told you about Tommy and I kissing, I don't think I've ever heard you squeal so hard. You were my go to person. I was terrified you wouldn't like the idea of us together but you did. And you supported us even after you and Jason and Zach left the team. You supported me in everything I did, even the stupid shit you tried to talk me out of. I wish I had listened more. If I had, I never would have broken up with Tommy. I would have been here. Maybe you would be alive. I need your words of wisdom here. I have to fix things." I closed my eyes, more tears slipping down. "I don't know what to do, Trini."

"I thought I'd find you here." A voice said behind me.

* * *

 **Oh boy! Tommy has been lying this whole time and Kimmy is ready to run back to Florida. What about the wedding? What about Jason? What about her plan to get sober? And who found her?**

 **Guess we'll have to wait and see!**


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you for all your reviews. I'm very excited about this chapter! I hope you guys like it. Please let me know what you think. :)

* * *

 _ **35.**_

"I thought I'd find you here." A deep voice said behind me. It startled me, causing me to jump slightly. Turning my head, I looked over my shoulder. Stand there, ten feet away, was Jason Lee Scott. His tall build was dressed in dark blue jeans, a red t-shirt covered by a leather jacket and a pair of leather work boots to match. He was sporting some facial hair now, looking like he hadn't shaved in a couple days. It was different from the Jason I remembered. He had put on a little bit of weight but not in a sense where he seemed overweight. He still looked ready to fight against some big bad guys, his muscles defined in the leather jacket. There were water droplets on the leather, the rain holding steady at a sprinkle for the moment. There was a motorcycle helmet in the crook of his right arm, black and red painted around the black visor.

I took a deep breath, unsure of what to say. I had so many angry words I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to let him know just how awful it felt to have him do this to me. To have Tommy do this to me. To have the feeling in the pit of my stomach that I got exactly what I deserved after hurting everyone I loved. That anger was still in my chest but I knew I couldn't yell at him right now. Not when we were at the sight his fiancé was buried. Even I wasn't mean enough to do that to a person. Jason had still lost so much and there wasn't a way I could find that I could lash out at him without disrespecting Trini's final resting place. If we were any where else right now, it would be fair game. I wished we were anywhere else. That Trini was there with us and none of this fucking shit was happening. I would even be willing to do anything else in the world right now, even hang out with Kat, if it meant being with Trini and the rest of the guys. Making my life different than it was right now. I didn't know how to tell Jason that though. Would he even care to understand how much I wanted to not be mad at him? I couldn't help it though. After everything that happened, I couldn't feel anything else but anger.

"Not now." I said, turning back to face the headstone. "I'm not doing this right now."

"You don't have to do anything. I just need you to listen. That's all." He replied. I heard him take a step towards me. "But maybe we should do this somewhere else. Somewhere a little more dry."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Jason. If you have something to say, say it." I stated.

"I have my bike. We can just take a short ride to my house. We can talk there."

"I can't." I turned to face him. "I have a plane to catch in a couple hours." I lied. I kept my face steady though to hide it. It was taking a great deal of will power to not break down on the spot but I was managing it. "What do you want?"

"We have a lot to talk about and I have some things to tell you. Here isn't the place for that now. If you come back to my house, I'll give you a ride to the airport myself. I promise." He pleaded, giving me an expression I wasn't able to understand. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes but also pleading, like he wanted to stop himself from begging me.

"Why? Why do you suddenly want to talk now? I tried all week to see you, Jason. You didn't return a single one of my calls or text messages. I've been here for a week! That's plenty of fucking time to do this. Do you know how easy it takes to send a text? How quick it is to send one? 5 seconds. How do I know? Because I did that ALL FUCKING WEEK." I hissed.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry. But you'll understand better. Right now, I just need you to come with me. It's easier for you to see than to have me explain it to you."

"See what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. What the hell was he playing? Did he have some huge secret he was hiding? He rubbed the top of his now wet hair, pieces of it sticking up at he did. Could it be possible that Jason was hiding something from me?

"Guess you'll have to go on a little faith here, Kim." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "I know it's not something that's easy for you but I just need you to trust me." I stared at him for a long time, trying to figure out what to say or do. I knew nothing Jason would do would ever physically hurt me. Emotionally? Should I summarize the events of the last twelve hours again? But his eyes were pleading with mine and I saw bags under his eyes. Was something wrong with Jason? Was he sick? Is that why he's been avoiding me?

"Jase, I don't even know if I can do that right now. With you OR Tommy. Just go home, okay? Figure out your shit and I'll figure out my own. Maybe someday we can work passed this but I don't think it's going to be this day."

"Kimmy, I get what I did was shitty. And what Tommy did was also shitty. I owe you like everything in the world right now. But it's not something we set out to do. You've gotta believe me on that. Some things just happened and I wasn't sure how to deal them. I took the coward's way out and fucked everything up." He said, taking another step towards me. I backed up, not letting him near me.

"Fucked it up?" I asked. "I came 3,000 miles to see you because it's the only way my therapist said I could move on. You knew I was coming. Tommy even told me you did. And the moment I get here, you disappear into the wind like someone running from the police. If you didn't want to see me or for me to come, you should have said something before I made the trip. Hell, you shouldn't have even sent Tommy down there if that was the case. Maybe I was better off without the two of you interfering with my life."

"I didn't send Tommy down there. This is so hard to explain here. Please just come back with me and I can show you everything." He said, sounding flustered.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Whatever you've got to say, you can say it here." I shook my head, crossing my arms. "I thought this was going to be different. I mean, I knew there was a chance that Tommy had changed after all this time a part. That's what ex-boyfriends do. But I never thought you would change into a person like this. You're like the one person on this planet I thought I would be able to count on for the rest of my life. How the fuck did I guess that one so wrong?" I felt tears well in my eyes and I fought to keep them in. "I am sorry that I didn't come back for the funeral. I accept that for any reason to fuck with me but I don't deserve this."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, looking at me confused. "You think I lied to you because you didn't come back for Trini's funeral." I nodded, unable to speak or else the damn would burst. "Kim, that's not why. I know that you wouldn't have been able to make it. We all grieve differently and I was wrong for expecting you to drop everything to come here to deal with me. It's my fault for not following up with you to make sure you were okay. I didn't know what else to do with myself. There was so much going on that there was no other way than—."

"Becoming an asshole?" I asked, cutting him off. He wasn't apologizing his way out of this one. "Wasting my time once I was out here? Sending my ex-boyfriend to Florida to fetch me?"

"I didn't send Tommy. He was there when I got the phone call from your boss. I was going to go but he offered since I had so much on my plate."

"You don't have to lie for him. He already told me that you made him come down there. We've already had that argument." I muttered.

"I'm not covering for him. It's the truth. I told him I would go but he said that he felt it would be better for him to do it after everything that happened between the two of you. He didn't go down there because I made him or asked him to. Tommy went down there because he was worried about you and wanted to make sure you were alright. Joey made it sound like you were three shots away from being in the ground like Trini." He pointed at the headstone and I glared at him.

"Shut up. Don't talk like that." I snapped. "I wasn't on my fucking death bed. I didn't need Tommy to come down there to save me or babysit me. I didn't need him to hover over me this past summer. I was doing just fine on my own."

"Oh yeah? So it is an everyday occurrence to go missing and end up in the hospital getting your stomach pumped? Or destroying over $2000 worth of property while on a drunk binge? Or letting strange guys into your house every night because you don't want to deal with your fucking issues?" I saw anger flash in his eyes as he spoke. "Get off your soapbox, Kimberly. Yeah, we were worried about you. God forbid someone takes time out of their lives to help you deal with something that you're too proud to ask for help for. Do you know what it took for Tommy to come down there? To see you like that? He was terrified that you were going to wind up dead and he was going to be bringing a body back home. That night you ended up in the hospital, he called me and I could barely understand what he was saying because he was so upset. He thought for sure that was it. That guy went down there to find the girl he was in love with because he knew she needed his help. And he stayed down there to help you even after you would tell him to leave or would yell at him or treat him like plain shit. Don't stand there and tell me that you didn't need Tommy there because we both know there was a good fucking chance you would have wound up a whole lot worse off if he hadn't had been there." It was good to see that Tommy had been in contact with Jason throughout this entire time.

"Why do you even care, Jason? It's not like you were there. It's not like you came down."

"Because I knew that it was my fault you were like that. I gave up on you when I shouldn't have. That's why I made sure Tommy checked in with me and I was so relieved when he found you. I know I was a shitty friend and I don't deserve any credit in helping you but I do care. I'm sorry for running out on you like I did but that doesn't mean you don't matter anything to me anymore." He took a deep breath. "Do you think I would be able to live with myself if Trini knew what I did? How bad she would kick my ass for not trying to find you? Trini would be livid with me for not hoping on a plane to Florida the moment you stopped answering my phone calls." He gazed over at her headstone. "She was better at this shit than I am. She knew how to talk to people when they need emotional support. My tactic is to just punch something til it stops hurting."

"I've tried that." I said, shoving my hands into my jacket pockets. "If it's a bad way to cope with this, I've done it. Doesn't really help in the long run." A silence fell over us, the only sound coming from the rain falling and a group of birds in a tree somewhere nearby. The angry bubble in my chest was still there, rooted in it's spot like a stubborn mule that refused to move. I cleared my throat and looked over at Jason. "I should go."

"Wait. Please. Just come with me to my house so we can talk." I rolled my eyes.

"Isn't that what we're doing right now? We both suck. We covered that. I think we're good." He shook his head.

"Five minutes. Just give me five minutes." He pleaded. I bit my lip, glancing over at Trini's headstone. She'd want me to go with him, I knew she would. She would want me to work this out no matter what happens. I just wasn't sure if I had it in me to deal with this. Not after everything that's happened.

"Fine." I stated, uncrossing my arms. "You have an hour. Not including travel time."

"Guess I'll have to drive really fast then."

* * *

Jason's bike had been parked back by the opening of the cemetery, a black chromed Harley Davidson that was parked off to the side. He handed me a smaller helmet he had on the back while he pulled his on. Once it was on my head, I put my leg over the bike and slid as far back as I could on the seat. He sat as well, starting the motorcycle. It vibrated underneath me, the engine rattling in it's casing. Jason gripped the handles in his hands, leaning forward as he did. Using his left foot, he kicked back the kickstand and the bike rolled forward a feet inches. Even though I didn't want to, I slid forward in the seat and wrapped my arms around his torso. I tucked my head into his back and my cheek stuck to the leather of his jacket. The bike rumbled as he pushed the throttle and we were off.

Jason weaved the bike through the streets of Angel Grove. It was still early in the morning, creeping towards 9:30. People we probably getting up, ready to start their Saturday morning. On the other side of town, our friends were more than likely already awake and doing wedding preparations. I thought of Aisha, feeling guilty for not being there today. I would call and apologize to her tomorrow, letting her enjoy her day without my drama getting in the away. Jason passed the Youth Center and various other buildings, not slowing for traffic unless he had to. I dug my nails into his jacket whenever there was a close call between us and another vehicle. As much as I hated to admit it, I was enjoying riding on the back of his bike. It was fun, though a bit scary at times. If I hadn't been so pissed at him, I believe I would have enjoyed it a lot more. The rain was also an issue, the rain drops feeling like little daggers on our skin as he drove. The jean fabric of my jacket was getting heavier with water as the rain came down heavier. It was nearly pouring by the time he pulled into the garage of 62 Parkway Place.

It was a white house on the north side of Angel Grove, large flower beds lining the front of the house that held no flowers. Parkway Place was eight blocks away from the high school, nestled into a quiet neighborhood where Trini and I had grown up when we were younger. My parents house was only around the corner from here and Trini's two blocks down. Jason pulled into the garage, parking next to a red pick up truck. The door slide closed behind us as he turned the engine of the bike off. He stood, putting the kick stand on the ground and carefully allowing the bike to lean on it. Swinging his leg over, he undid his helmet and pulled it off. His hair stuck up all over his head now and he patted it down with his hand. I pulled my helmet off as well, climbing off the bike. Jason took it from me and set it on a wooden shelf that was built into the wall behind him. The garage was a decent size, shelves built into all of the walls except that of the door. There was a smaller white door on the left side of the room, leading into what I suppose was the house.

Jason turned and walked through the door, holding it open with his foot for me. I followed after him, immediately thinking this was a horrible idea. I shouldn't have come. This wasn't right. I was so angry with him. I shouldn't have given him the time of day after what he and Tommy had pulled. What the hell was I thinking? I followed behind him as he walked into the kitchen of the house. I saw light color hardwood floors and white cabinets around the room, a matching fridge and stove in here as well. Jason set his helmet on the counter next to the stove and slid his jacket off. He kept walking and I continued to follow, closing the door behind me. He entered a dining room now, a long wooden table set up in the middle of the red painted room. Matching chairs were pushed into it, eight of them all together. Various stuff was tossed on the table, not leaving much room for eating. There was also a bar set up on the left side of the room, pushed right up against the wall. There were pictures perched up here in frames. I couldn't make out who was in them for sure, the glare of the bay window reflecting off of them.

"One sec." He said over his shoulder, tossing his jacket on the back of one of the chairs. He disappeared through a large door way for a moment before turning.

"Why am I here?" I asked, growing impatient. "You wanted to talk. Talk."

"No. I said I had to show you something." He replied, a smug smile pulling at his lips. The anger flared in my chest and I narrowed my eyes at him. Did he really think this was fucking funny?

"I'm out of here." I said, turning to head towards the door. Jason sprinted forward, blocking my exit. "Move, Jason."

"I'm sorry. You can't leave yet though. Just come upstairs quick, alright?" I stared at him, hard. What was he getting at? I tried figuring something out from his face but there was nothing to be found.

"Are you in trouble? Is that it?" I asked, crossing my arms. He shook his head.

"No. It's hard to explain."

"So I've heard." I muttered. He ignored me, walking passed me and over to the doorway. He stopped, glancing over at me.

"Coming?" He asked. I bit my lip, considering what this was about. I nodded, unable to resist. I stepped forward, walking into the next room. It was a foyer with the same hardwood floors as the kitchen. The walls were a cream color, the color going up the flight of stairs that was connected to the wall. There was another doorway across from me, leading into what I assumed was the living room. I could see a television perched on a stand in there, a couch across from it. It was very clean for just being Jason's house, something that I found odd. I remembered when we were in high school how his mother would scream at him for hours to get him to clean his room. It wasn't that he was a lazy or messy guy. It was just that Jason wasn't very organized to say the least. This house (apart from the table) was relatively clean. Maybe it came with age.

Jason walked over to the stairs and started up them. The wood creaked under his feet from the weight. He didn't stop to see if I was following him, disappearing towards the top. I did follow, grabbing the railing in my hand as I did. There was no other sound to be found in the house oppose our footsteps. It was eerie, the silence becoming almost deafening. I caught up to him at the top of the stairs where he had stopped walking. There was a hallway here, going in two directions at the landing. To the left, I saw two doors that were opened. The first was a gym. I could tell right away from the dumbbells that were on the matts on the floor. The walls were a white color, wooden trim around it. I could also see a padded bench, an empty weight lifting bar above the head rest. I could almost picture Jason in here, ligting weights after a day of work. It reminded me of our days at the Youth Center where he would train after school.

The other door led to what was his bedroom. It was painted a burnt orange color, the corner of a bed just visible from where I stood. The bed spread was a red flannel pattern and I could tell the bed wasn't made by the way it was frumbled at the end of the mattress, a pillow also laying there. Against the wall, I spotted a brown and sturdy dresser. There were some watches on the top of it, a couple bottles of water and a stack of wash clothes. There was also a little basket of lotions here, tucked neatly to the side. This was odd to me. Why was there so many lotions in Jason's room? Then the idea of a lonely Jason using them to entertain himself popped into my mind and I quickly turned away from the direction of his room.

To the right of the landing, there were also two doors. The first one was open, another bedroom. I was guessing this was a guest room, the walls a light blue color and an unmade bed in the middle of the room. There was also boxes stacked in a corner, impromptu storage probably. The walls of the hallway were the same cream color of the foyer downstairs, pictures of Trini and Jason hung up along the length of it. It was a touch of Trini I hadn't expected, me forgetting that she had lived her too. Jason and her had managed to buy a house shortly before her death. I had been amazed that they had, Trini not willing to job into anything without thinking about it forever. It took her an eternity to decide to go out with Jason. I was surprised when she told me they had put a bid on a house. She had always told me that the plan was to get married first. She had told me at the time that sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do to be happy.

The last door in the hallway was closed, the white wooden door pulled tightly shut. I could see light shining from a window in the room from a crack under the door. Jason stepped towards it and stopped, turning to face me as I stood on the landing. Though there wasn't much lighting here, I could see that there was a fine layer of moisture forming on his forehead. Was he sweating? From what? Was he really that nervous about whatever was behind that door? Fear started to prickle at the back of my neck and in the pit of my stomach. Even though I knew it was highly unlikely, could Trini be somehow alive behind this door? I've seen stranger things happen, thanks to the Power Rangers. Maybe that had managed to save her somehow. That they had to fake her death this whole time to protect the fact we were Rangers. He'll open that door and we will laugh about the last year. My heart quickened at the thought. Could it really be that?

"It's going to be okay." He said, giving me a small smile. I stepped towards him and he didn't move to open the door.

"What's behind there?" I whispered, afraid I would spook whatever or whoever was there. He shrugged.

"I guess you'll have to open the door to find out." He replied. I could feel my fingers tremble as I reached out and grabbed the brass doorknob. I swallowed hard as I turned it until I heard and felt a click. "Just don't be mad, alright?" He said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I turned my face towards him.

"I don't like the sound of that." I replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I don't know how you'll react so just don't be too mad." I nodded, turning back to face the door. Stepping forward, I pushed the door open. It slowly swung open and revealed a small room. The walls were painted a soft canary yellow color, white trim around the room and the window. There was a pale grey colored carpet under my feet that sunk when my sneaker stepped onto it. On the right side of the room, there was white dresser set up. All the drawers were closed, a yellow and white crocheted running along the top of it. There were three baskets set up along the top; towels, wash clothes and blankets folded in them. Next to it, there was a matching shelf. There was a layer of grey blankets on the top of it, what appeared to be more clothes folded and tucked underneath on the shelves below it.

As my eyes scanned the room, I found myself turning towards the left side of the room. There, I saw a white rocking chair in front of the window. There were white lace curtains in the window that billowed slightly as the breeze drifted in, bringing the smell of summer rain with it. The chair was a newer kind, one of those gliders that slid back and forth instead of rocking. There was a designed carved into the head rest of the chair, something I couldn't make out with the light hitting it like it was. A grey cushion was tied to the back of the chair for support. There was also another one in the seat, providing comfort to whoever was sitting in the chair.

Sitting in the chair, I found Tommy. And in his arms, he was holding a sleeping baby.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Hi everyone! I am happy I get to update again tonight to not leave everyone hanging on after that cliffhanger! Who saw this one coming?

* * *

 _ **36.**_

I felt my eyes widen and my mouth gape open as I tried to the process the fact Tommy was holding a baby in his arms. It was wrapped in a yellow blanket, white hearts printed on it. I blinked as Tommy smiled over at me. He had the baby tucked into his arms, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair. My eyes kept looking at the baby, the thick head of dark hair catching my eye. It was sticking up in places, much like how Jason's does. On the right side of the room and behind the door, I saw a white crib. It was lined with yellow linens and a mobile hung over it with different types of birds on it. On the wall next to it, there were animals painted above it. There was a book shelf behind the crib, baby books and toys perched on their shelves. There were other baby items around the room, a swing in one corner and a tub of toys in another. How on Earth had I not seen it when I first entered the room? A million questions tried to form at once in my mind, fighting for the chance to get out of my mouth. None of them seemed to be winning though, the utter confusion settling nicely on my tongue.

Why the fuck was Tommy holding a baby? Whose baby was that? What on Earth was going on here? Was I missing something huge while I was in Miami getting drunk? All these questions whirled around inside of my brain as it tried to process things. Could it be possible that I was finally having a psychotic break down? It would explain everything happening in front of me right now. There was no plausible reason for there to be a baby in the room. Tommy, yes. Ten pound baby, no.

"Hey." Tommy said softly, rocking back and forth. I didn't speak, unsure if there were any words to say that would be right. Jason stepped into the room next to me, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Kim, you gotta say something here." He whispered, turning to look at me. I didn't move, my eyes locked on the baby in front of me. "I know you've gotta have a lot of questions right now."

"You think?" I asked, craning my neck to look at him. "Did you and Tommy adopt a baby?"

"No!" He exclaimed, holding up his hands. "Let's go downstairs so we can talk." He walked out the door and I followed him, heading down the stairs. He stopped in the dining room, pulling a chair out for me. I shook my head, choosing to stand in the doorway. "I think you might want to sit down."

"I think I'm fine here. Jason, whose baby is that? Did you have a baby with someone after Trini died?" I asked, the questions finally coming through. I thought for a moment, realizing the baby looked about six months old. I gasped. "Did you get someone pregnant when you were with Trini?"

"I would never do that. I know this is a lot to process-."

"A lot to process? You have a baby! Not like a newborn either, Jason. Like a baby you haven't told me about for at least a few months. What is going on?"

"Do you remember when Trini had her cancer scare?" He asked, leaning on the back of the chair he had pulled out. I shook my head.

"No. What cancer scare?" I asked. He groaned, scratching the top of his head.

"Of all people, I was hoping she at least told you. She was scared to tell people though because she didn't want anyone to worry. Two summers ago, Trini started having some weird pains. She didn't go into detail or anything, just that whenever it was the time of the month, it hurt worse than it should have. When she went to the doctor, she had some abnormal results come back and the doc thought could be cancerous. She had to have some kind of biopsy so they could test the cells. We sat on pins and needles for days. Finally, he called us in and he told us that it wasn't cancerous. He did, however, tell us that Trini had a very high chance of getting cancer if she didn't have everything removed."

"Everything?" I asked. He nodded.

"Uterus, ovaries. The whole thing. Trini was devastated because she still wanted to have kids. The doctor told us he would take her eggs and freeze them until we were ready to have kids. He warned us that the percentage of success went down the longer we waited but it was our only chance. She had the surgery and when she came out of recovery, she told me she wanted to start trying to have a family. I thought it was the drugs they had here all strung out on but she said the same thing after she had healed. I tried to tell her we should wait until we were married but she didn't want to chance the fact it could fail with her limited eggs." Pulling the chair back, Jason sat. I walked over, pulling the chair from across him out and sat down. "The clinic helped us find a surrogate here in town. It took forever but we found a nice girl who was willing to carry for us. The first attempt failed and we had to wait a couple weeks for the next one. That one failed too. We only had enough for one more round. I wasn't optimistic at this point. I kept telling Trini that we should wait because it just didn't seem like it was meant to be. She seemed to know better than me though."

"What do you mean?"

"A couple days after our third and final round, we got the call that it had worked. We were pregnant. It was a couple days after the Fourth of July. Trini was ecstatic. She knew it would work and she was determined to do everything she could to make sure this pregnancy went great. She helped our surrogate with everything from groceries to doing her laundry for her. She drove her to every appointment and started counting down the days to the due date. We found out towards the beginning of September that it was a girl. Trini was over the moon and already in love with her. I told her that we had to start telling people about the baby. She wasn't sure how to do it. Not even our parents knew at that point. It was the hardest secret I ever had to keep…well besides being a ranger." He smirked, resting his hands on the table in front of him.

"Why didn't she tell me?" I asked, leaning into the chair.

"She wanted to. She planned this big huge reveal for Thanksgiving. She invited everyone here so we could do it at once." He replied. My head shot up, an empty feeling in my chest.

"Thanksgiving?" I whispered. He nodded. "That's why she wanted me to come so badly. I thought it was because she wanted me to make up with Tommy. She pushed so hard that I always figured that. She wanted me here so she could tell me about the baby."

"You weren't the only one who wouldn't have been able to make it. She was still trying though. She kept trying to come up with ways that were legal to kidnap you. I don't think she cared about anyone else knowing if you didn't know. She was even considering going to Florida to tell you in person." I felt tears brim my eyes. I had been so stupid and self-absorbed that I never noticed that she had something she wanted to tell me. That she didn't want me here just to play match maker. She had happy, life changing news she wanted to tell me and like usual, I made it all about me. Regret washed over me.

"I told her no." I whispered. Jason reached across the table and grabbed my hand.

"She knew, Kim. She knew." He gave my hand a squeeze and smiled softly in my direction. "Right before the accident, she told me that she didn't blame you for not wanting to come back. She knew she would figure out a way to tell you somehow."

"How did you manage this after the accident?" Sighing, he sat back in his chair again.

"I can't even tell you to be honest. Now that I think back on it, I think it was mostly autopilot. When I found out about Trini, I had no clue what to do with myself, let alone a baby. I didn't think I'd be able to handle raising a baby on my one. The agency we were using offered to let someone else take the baby once it was born and place her up for adoption. I knew I couldn't do that. Both of our parents offered to take her as well. I had to tell them. I didn't know what else to do. I knew I couldn't let someone else take my baby with Trini. She was my responsibility and the only piece of her I had left." Running a hand over his hair, he shook his head. "She was born at the end of January. I was petrified. I had just lost Trini and now, here I was with a baby I had no clue how to take care of. She was this tiny thing that scared the hell out of me more than anything I faced as a Ranger. At that point, I had already lost contact with you and everyone else had gone on with their lives. I knew I had to figure this out because I told Trini I would do anything to protect her and the baby. I had already failed her. I couldn't fail again."

"Jase, you didn't fail Trini. It's not your fault that she died. There was no way to protect her from an accident you didn't know was happening." I said. He nodded.

"I know that now. But then, I thought for sure that I had failed everyone. I had given up on you instead of trying to help you. I was shutting everyone out. I knew Trini would have been pissed for the way I was behaving. It all changed though the moment they handed me that little girl. It was like opening my eyes for the first time since Trini died. I saw a purpose for living and didn't want to just give up like I had been doing. It was rough and bumpy first couple of months. My mom basically lived here for a while so she could teach me everything I needed to know about taking care of a baby. I still think I don't have a clue but I seem to be holding my own alright."

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have come back here to help you." I said.

"I didn't deserve your help. After I lost contact with you, I had every chance in the world before the baby came to try to patch things up with you but I didn't. I was more worried about my own pain and how I was going to take care of things here. I wish I had though. I could have stopped your drinking before it became as bad as it did. I think the main reason I didn't was because I felt guilty. I had let you down just like I let Trini down. Only, I didn't have to face Trini like I would have had to if I reached out to you. You were still here and it made me feel like an asshole for turning my back on you."

"I didn't really make it easy though." I muttered, crossing my arms. "I didn't want to be found."

"Exactly. So when your boss called me out of the blue, I knew something was up. When he told me about your drinking and how things were getting out of control, I knew it was time to face the music." There was noise on the stairs, causing both of us to turn. Tommy appeared at the bottom of the stairs, the now awake baby in his arms. The baby girl was sitting up, leaning against his chest as he walked into the room. Her thick black hair was still sticking up in places and I saw warm chocolate almond shaped eyes that lit up when she saw other people. She smiled when she saw Jason, holding her hands out towards her father.

"Someone woke up from her nap." Tommy said, bouncing her. She giggled, squirming in his hands. Jason stood up, pushing away from the table. He smiled as he walked towards Tommy.

"There's my baby girl. Come see Daddy." He cooed, scooping her up into his arms. He spun on his heel, facing the baby towards me. "There's someone I want you to meet. Ann, this is your Aunt Kimberly." He said. I covered my mouth with my hands at the sound of her name.

"Ann?" I whispered. He nodded, smiling down at me as he stepped forward.

"It's Ann Rose Kwan-Scott. Trini wanted to name her after her best friend." The tears flowed them, streaming down my face as Jason held Ann out towards me. "You want to hold her?" I nodded, taking the baby in my hands.

"Hi." I whispered, propping her up on the table so she was sitting up. She looked at me with wondering eyes, taking me in. She had on a pink and white dress, drool staining the front of it. The more I looked at her features, the more I saw Trini looking back at me. Ann had the same shaped nose as hers, slightly pointy and dainty. Her ears were the same as well, small but more curved than most. The rest of her was all Jason though, from the lips to the butt shaped chin. After examining me for a minute, she gave me a slobbery smile before giggling. I felt more tears slid out as I looked down at the last remaining part of my best friend on this Earth. She was beautiful. She was a part of Trini that I had never dreamed as possible. Yet, here she was. "She's perfect." I said, kissing her forehead. She lifted her hands and put them on my cheeks, squeezing them together. I let out a laugh, causing her to laugh. It turned into a fit of giggles which might have been the most beautiful sound I had ever heard in my entire life.

"Someone likes you." Jason said, leaning against the table. "Usually, she slaps everyone in the face the first time she meets them."

"Yeah, I wonder where she gets that from." I said, grinning over at Jason. I noticed that Tommy was standing in the door way now, trying to be out of the way. He kicked at the floor, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He had on a dark green t-shirt, some white powder I was assuming to be baby formula, smeared on the front of it.

"I can't help it that she's already a natural at martial arts." Jason said proudly, bending down and picking her up. He sniffed her butt, making a face of disgust. "Whew. You're also a natural at farts. C'mon, kid. Let's go change your raunchy ass while Aunt Kim and Uncle Tommy talk." Jason walked out of the dining room, his footsteps travelling up the stairs to the baby's room. Slowly, I stood up from my chair and stepped towards Tommy.

"I'm sorry I lied to you. That's something the two of us has to learn to stop saying to each other, I suppose." He said, not looking at me. "I didn't want to but Jason said it was the only way this would work. I wanted to tell you the moment I saw you. I told Jason I would come down to check on you because he couldn't just leave the baby."

"I know but then what would we talk about? Probably nothing as exciting as this." I replied, him shifting his gaze to look up at me. "A lot of things seem to be making more sense now that I think about it. Like how you wanted me to come back to Angel Grove so bad and not Reefside. Or why you kept insisting we come and find Jason instead of calling him. And I'm going to guess that everyone else knows about the baby as well. That's what Kat was digging at the other night at dinner." He nodded.

"She only found out about a month or so ago when she came to visit. The rest of them have known since she was born. I was the only one who knew before that. Jason told me the night Trini died."

"I should have been here." I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself. "I should have been here to help. I could have helped Jason with the baby and with all of this so he didn't have to do it alone."

"He didn't do it alone. He had his family here helping him. How could you have known if they didn't tell you, Kim?" He asked. "He didn't know what he was going to do and at the time, he thought that everyone was dealing with Trini's death just fine. The two of you have a lot in common. You both blame yourselves for shit you couldn't control." Tommy swallowed hard. "I hope you're not too mad at me for lying to you. Again."

"I'm not mad." I stated, shaking my head. "I know I probably should be a little bit but I'm not. You were doing what you thought was best. I can't blame you for that."

"You sure? Cause you tend to do that all the time."

"Do you want me to be mad at you? Cause I can be." I retorted, raising an eyebrow at him. He shook his head, giving me a small smile. "I can't believe you hid this secret so well. I see what you meant by some of us being able to keep secrets better than others."

"Well, it wasn't easy. I'm shocked I didn't spill the beans last night when I was plastered. Which, again, let me apologize for that as well. You should have had to take care of me like that." I laughed.

"I think it was a bit of poetic justice if you ask me. All this time, people were taking care of my drunk ass. It was definitely a change to have to take care of someone else when they are shit faced. Why were you so drunk? Just having fun or was all this getting to you?"

"Something like that." He replied, rubbing the back of his hair. "Thank you for taking care of me though. And nothing shocks you our of a hangover faster than having someone come up missing. I still feel like I was hit by a bus. I don't know how you managed to live through this every day."

"I wasn't missing. I knew exactly where I was. You get used to it, Mr. Lightweight. What happened when you woke up?"

"Well, Jason called me a couple times and I finally woke up. He told me about you screaming at him. I must have just missed you when you left. I headed over here and we called around, seeing where you might have gone. Your stuff was all still at Billy's so we figured you weren't too far. Then Jason figured you were probably the last place anyone would think you would have gone." Sighing, I let my arms fall to my sides. Looking at Tommy, I could tell he felt better than he had in a long time. As if a release had coming, letting him be able to breathe again. He didn't have to hide that secret from me anymore, that weight off his shoulders. In the first time since Tommy had walked into my life again, a genuine smile crossed his lips.

"I didn't mean to worry you guys." I said. "I just thought that Jason didn't want me around and that you had lied about it. So, I was bouncing out of the picture. I really thought that Jason had you lie to me because he just didn't want to see me. I didn't know what else to do but run. It's what I do best, I guess. I figured you cared more about Jason's feelings than my own since you were willing to lie to be about this. But, like most things, I overlooked the fact that maybe you had my best interests in mind." Tommy had been trying to protect me from myself this whole time. If I had found out about the baby while I was in Florida and still drinking, I knew exactly what I would have done and it made me sick to my stomach to think about. He did everything in his power to get me here and made sure I was safe along the way. "So, is this what you and Dr. McAvoy had to talk about before we came down here?"

"Somewhat." He replied.

"What do you mean?"

"There's just some stuff that's better if you heard it from her, that's all. I really don't know much about it. I told her about Annie and she told me that she had some stuff she was going to tell you when we came back." He explained. "I promise, that's all I know."

"You are a man of mystery, Mr. Oliver." I stated, smiling at him.

"Not any more I'm not." He replied, letting out a sigh of relief. "And it feels great not to be." Stepping over to Tommy, I wrapped my arms around his torso in a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around me, returning the gesture. Rubbing my back, he rested his head on top of mine.

"Thank you." I whispered. "For all of this."

"Anytime, Beautiful. Anytime."

"Uh oh, Annie. Cover your eyes." Jason said, covering the baby's face as he walked back into the room. I rolled my eyes, pulling away from Tommy as I did. "C'mon, guys. There's a baby in the room. Control yourselves."

"Oh, ha ha." I said. I noticed Jason had changed his clothes, sporting a dark red dress shirt and a pair of black slacks. "Did you dress up on my account?" I asked, gesturing at him.

"No. We have a wedding to go to, remember?" He replied, bouncing Annie in his arms.

"Really?" Tommy asked. "You sure, man?" Jason nodded.

"I didn't think I would be able to handle it but I think I'll be okay. I might resent the fact that it should be Trini and I getting married but I can't hold it against Aisha and Rocky. This is their day and they deserve to have us all there to celebrate with. Besides, I'm going to have the cutest date in the whole place." He leaned down and kissed Annie on the cheek, causing her to giggle loudly.

"I just still can't believe it." I said, gazing over at the baby. "She is the perfect blend of you and Trini."

"Thankfully, she's pretty like her Mommy. God knows no one wants her to look like me when she's older. Might help me keep the boys away though."

"That'll be my job." Tommy said, reaching over and taking her from Jason's arms. "No one gets passed Uncle Tommy when it comes to my little Annie." He cooed, smiling down at her.

"Good to see she has you two wrapped around her fingers already." I said, my heart feeling warm as I watched Tommy hold her. If this didn't do anything for my uterus, I didn't know what would. Watching him hold her made me want to dumb my birth control out the window and say fuck it. I knew that wasn't a smart decision seeing as we weren't even together. And I think our group could only handle one surprise baby at a time here. "So, were you pulling baby duty while running a Ranger team?" I asked. Tommy nodded.

"Yeah. I would split my time between here and Reefside. It wasn't easy with the team being in the pictures and I didn't want them to know. It worked out though. I spent most of my weekends here and was able to work around the attacks. And when the team was able to disband, it made things a lot easier. Well, that it until I went to Florida to find you." Tommy answered, stroking the top of her head.

"You don't realize how useful teleporting was until you can't use it anymore." Jason said, crossing his arms. "You and Billy really got find a way to bring that shit back. Especially if gas prices keep going up the way they are."

"I'll keep that in mind." Tommy muttered, rolling his eyes. "We should get back to Billy's if we're going to be ready for the wedding in time." He said, glancing over at the clock on the wall. I frowned, reaching over and picking up Annie's hand.

"I don't want to leave her though." I pouted.

"I'm bringing her to the wedding." Jason said, giving me a reassuring smile. "I don't think half an hour apart is going to hurt anything."

"I don't think I'm ever going to be able to let her out of my sights." I whispered, her big brown eyes gazing up at me as she smiled.


	37. Chapter 37

_**A/N: Well, here we are! The last two chapters. This one is kind of short but I do believe the the last one will make up for it. Please enjoy!**_

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 _ **37.**_

Tommy and I rode in his jeep (which had been parked around the corner so I wouldn't see it when Jason brought me here) back to Billy's house, Jason following us. Tommy allowed me to shower first and I did so quickly, giving him enough time and hot water to follow me. I changed into my dress, a pink lace number that had a sweetheart neckline and went to my knees, and a white cardigan to cover my shoulders. I shoved my feet into a pair of sandals and went downstairs to spent more time with Annie and Jason. The two were on the couch, Jason bouncing her on his knee. She gleefully laughed and clapped her hands, obviously enjoying the activity. He smiled as well, his eyes beaming as he looked down at her. I watched from the doorway, still unable to believe I was actually seeing Jason play with his and Trini's daughter. It was like one of those dreams that you have where you hate the fact you woke up. I was still waiting for that moment to happen but it didn't seem to be.

"Look at Aunt Kimmy, Annie. Doesn't she look pretty?" Jason said, turning Annie so she was facing me. He had combed her hair down and put a bright pink bow in her hair. Her tongue jutted out of her mouth as she smiled, drool dripping down her chin.

"Not as pretty as you though." I said, walking over and bending down so I was eye level with her. Her nose crinkled as she let out a string of babbling. I laughed, bending my knees. "You talk as much shit as your dad."

"Thanks." Jason said flatly. I smirked at him as I stood up, stepping over to sit on the couch next to him. Annie squirmed in her father's hands, trying to get away from him. Jason sat back into the couch and Annie crawled over his lap and into mine. "Well, I've obviously been replaced."

"Can't say I blame her." I replied, tickling her sides. She laughed, rocking back and forth on my thighs.

"I know Tommy said you were more sarcastic that you were before but I didn't think it was this bad." He sighed, scratching his forehead. "Speaking of our fearless leader, is he doing any better? He was in pretty rough shape when he stumbled into my house this morning. And he smelled like a bad night in Mexico."

"A bottle of tequila can do that to a person." I stated. "I think the hangover is starting to lighten up a bit. Serves him right. You should have seen him last night. Took everything in me to get him in here and up to bed. I should have left him on the couch." Glancing up the stairs, I listened for a moment. I could hear him moving around in the bathroom still. "How was he doing before he came down to Florida?"

"What do you mean?" Jason asked, giving me a puzzled look.

"Like was he happy? Or whatever. Forget I asked."

"He was okay, I suppose. I wouldn't call it happy. More of a just trying to get by type of deal. I think for the most part, he was following the routine. Honestly, I think being on the Ranger team was the best thing that's happened to him in a long time. You know Tommy. He's never one to let someone else step in front of a dangerous situation if he can do it first. He's been a huge help with Annie. I'm sure the two of us would make a great sitcom. Two full grown ass men trying to take care of an eight pound baby." Jason turned his face towards me. "What are you really trying to ask though?"

"It's complicated." I responded as the sound of Tommy's foot steps came towards the stairs. He jogged down them, his black slacks and dress pants on. He wore his green shirt again, this time with a black blazer over it. I saw he opted to not go with a tie as well, matching Jason. His hair was gelled and combed to the side and he was looking quite handsome.

"What's complicated?" Tommy asked, stepping towards us.

"Raising girls." Jason said quickly, covering for me. Tommy nodded, seeming to agree with him. He turned his attention to me, a smile on his face.

"Well, these two might be the most complicated girls I know." Tommy said, shooting me a wink that caused me to smile. Annie let out a high pitch screech and flailed her arms in the arm towards Tommy.

"It's been an hour and she's already rubbing off on my kid." Jason leaned over and scooped up Annie from my arms as he stood. "Let's leave the verbally abusing Uncle Tommy to Aunt Kim, kiddo." I rolled my eyes as I stood up. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was getting close to ceremony time. I walked over to the dining room and grabbed my clutch bag.

"We ready to go?" I asked. The boys nodded, Jason turning to Annie's car seat that was by the door. He wrestled her in it while Tommy grabbed his keys from his pockets. I made sure the back door was locked before we walked out the front door. Tommy helped Jason secure Annie's car seat in the back of his jeep while I climbed into the front passenger seat. Jason hopped in next to Annie when she was secure and Tommy jogged around to the driver side. Starting the vehicle, he pulled out of the drive way and headed south. Reaching over, Tommy turned the radio on and the soft melody of a Alanis Morsette song coming over the speaking. He kept it low, just loud enough to hear the music but not the words. He steered the jeep along the main drag, heading towards the edge of town that let to the Angel Grove Community Arts Center.

The art center was a building that was donated to Angel Grove when I was in elementary school. It had originally been a mansion that people kept selling back and forth in hopes someone would buy it and fix it up. Well, finally someone bought it but learned that there was a shit ton of work that needed to be done to it. They decided to donate it to the town in hopes of getting something out of it. The town took it in a heartbeat, renovating it into an art gallery. The school spends a lot of time here with field trips and events. It was a red stone brick building that over looked two acres of land that were field with a large rose garden. There was also another patch of land that was reserved for out door events like weddings. As Tommy pulled into the long drive, I saw vehicles lined up along the road and in the large black topped parking lot behind the building. White chairs were lined up in rows on the side of the rose garden, a wooden archway set up at the end of the aisle. Yellow roses were tied around it with white lace, it billowing in the slight breeze. The sound of violins drifted towards us Tommy parked and we climbed out of the jeep.

"Wow." I said, standing next to the jeep as Jason undid Annie from her car seat. Tommy walked around the jeep and stood next to us. I could see people walking towards the chairs dressed in proper wedding attire. I spotted Billy, Adam and Zach hanging out with Rocky up by the altar. I wondered how they were all feeling today after last night. Jason stood up straight, a now sleeping Annie in his arms.

"At least one of us gets to sleep during this." He muttered, making sure to grab her blanket and a pacifier before closing the door. Together, the three of us started the journey over to the chairs. I saw Aisha's parents mingling with guests and Rocky's mother sitting the in front row. I could recognize a couple other of their relatives I had met along the way, including Rocky's band of sisters. They were all grouped around, talking to each other. The stopped when they saw us and I noticed that they were ogling Tommy and Jason. Tommy let out a little groan, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Can we sit somewhere away from them?" He asked. I smirked, glancing up at him.

"I see that Rosa and Theresa still find you as cute as ever." I replied, causing him to roll his eyes. "That's always an option for you."

"Yeah. An option to land me in prison. Pretty sure none of them are even old enough for me to speak to." Jason let out a laugh at that, sitting in a chair in the third row on Aisha's side of the aisle. I sat next to him, Tommy sitting on my other side.

"I just remember that night went spent at Rocky's and we woke up to his sisters standing over us. I have no clue how he managed to survive in a house of all women. It must have been hell to get into the bathroom every morning." Jason said, resting Annie on his legs.

"I see why he would shower at the Command Center instead of home." I added, adjusting my dress. Suddenly, people began to fill in the rest of the chairs and the groomsmen headed up to their places at the altar. Aisha's father walked up the aisle, heading into the art center by a back door. The string quartet went into a new song, a slower number than the one they were playing previously. I craned my neck to see Rocky who was standing next to Aisha's pastor at the front. He smiled at me, giving me a wink. I returned it, flashing him a thumbs up before turning towards the art center. The door opened and Katherine walked out, dressed in a soft pink dress. It was a satin thing that cut off at her knees, straps holding it up. In her hands, she carried a bouquet of yellow and red carnations. Irritation crossed my mind seeing her in pink but I shoved it out of my brain. I had insisted to Aisha that I didn't want to be in the wedding. I had to get over my distain for Kat at some point. Behind her, Tanya came out wearing a similar dress to Kat but in yellow. Glancing over at the guys, I saw that there were all in black tuxes with red vests but their ties represented their colors. If anyone had a suspicion before that we were all hiding hidden identities that dressed in different colors to fight crime, they wouldn't have to look far to figure it out.

"Rocky looks like he's going to shit himself." Jason whispered to me. I looked back at Rocky, seeing that Jason was right. He was sweating bullets now and was fidgeting with his hands, unfolding them and folding them again in front of him. Adam reached over and clapped him on the back, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm surprised he's not running by now." I replied. Jason nodded, a slight frown on his face. "Hey. I get it. If you gotta leave, go."

"I'm fine." He said, shaking his head. The music stopped and everyone stood from their seats as the wedding march began to play. I tried my best to see Aisha but the people standing in front of me were too tall. I heard hushed cries of excitement and saw the people were shifting forward to see. Aisha appeared in the middle of the aisle where I could see her, her arm tucked into the elbow of her father who was beaming. He was in a light grey suit, salmon colored vest and tie matching well with it. A yellow rose was pinned to his lapel and his bald head was reflecting the sun as it shined brightly down. He leaned in, whispering something to Aisha who laughed lightly. She looked beautiful, her dress fitting her in all the right places that gave her the perfect hour glass figure. Her hair was missing it's signature braids, curls flowing under her veil instead. In her hand, she held a bouquet of yellow roses with baby breath mixed in with them. I felt tears mist in my eyes as I watched one of my best friends walk up the aisle. When she saw us, she smiled brightly at me, more than likely shocked I was here. She winked as she passed before turning her attention towards Rocky. His nervousness was replaced with a wide grin and teary eyes as he gazed out at Aisha. I leaned forward, resting my cheek against Tommy shoulder so I could get a better view. I felt him lean into me, his muscles relaxing.

"You may be seated." The pastor called as Aisha made it to the altar. The music stopped and there was a moment of movement as everyone sat again. I sat up straight, hoping it would give me a better chance of seeing them. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of life between these two special people." The pastor called, smiling out at the congregation. "It's not often that two people meet at such a young age and realize that love was in their futures. For those of us who believe in true love, this might be one of those cases that support that belief."

The ceremony went on for another half an hour, Aisha's father giving her away and her and Rocky exchanging their own vows. Rocky's were actually pretty romantic, making me wonder if he had help from some of the other guys writing them. Aisha's were sweet but border lined on threatening if Rocky ever did anything to hurt her. If he was smart at all, he would believe it. The sealed the deal with a kiss, Rocky dipping Aisha as he did. We all cheered as they made their way down the aisle as husband and wife. I was surprised to see that Annie had managed to sleep through the whole ceremony. She didn't make a peep until we were heading to the receiving line in front of the art center. She yawned loudly as she stretched in Jason's arms as he laughed.

"Did we wake you, princess?" He cooed, kissing her forehead. She snuggled against him, getting comfortable in the crook of his arm. We stood in line with the rest of the guests, waiting to get to the happy couple. When I reached the groomsmen, Zach leaned in and gave me a tight hug.

"I'm glad to see you changed your mind." He said, pulling away. I nodded.

"Me too. You boys all look snazzy." I said, smiling at him, Adam and Billy. Zach adjusted his jacket proudly, flashing a bright smile.

"I always look this good." He replied. Adam rolled his eyes.

"He's been saying that all morning." He muttered. I let out a laugh, shaking my head at the two former black rangers. I stepped closer to Billy and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You look beautiful." He said, smiling down at me.

"Thanks, Billy. Sorry about everything." I winced.

"No need. I understand." He replied, tucking his hands into his pants pockets. "As Zach mentioned, I'm appreciative of the fact you are still present." I squeezed his forearm.

"Me too." I turned my sights on Aisha who saw me at the exact same moment. I smiled at her as tears welled in her eyes. I stepped forward and squeezed her tightly. "You're not supposed to cry because of me! It's your wedding day."

"What else am I supposed to do? I thought you were gone." She replied, pulling away slightly. "Don't ever do that to me again." She warned, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't lie to me about secret babies again and we'll have a deal." I stated. She glanced over at Jason and Annie who were hanging out with the groomsmen and Tommy. Nodding, she gripped my hands tightly.

"I wanted to tell you. I really did. Jason swore me to secrecy though. Rocky didn't even know until I slipped up and said something in front of him. I'm really sorry."

"It's alright. Honestly. You look beautiful by the way. I don't think there will ever be a prettier bride."

"Girl, you're the one that's a sight for sore eyes."

We made our way over to the reception area, a large tent that had been set up in the field across the street from the center. Through the door way of the flap, I saw it was beautifully decorated with vines and flowers, similar to the ones that were on the archway at the altar. Round tables were set up, circulating around a dance floor built from used pallets. The entire thing was gorgeous and I could tell that Aisha had really out done herself when it came to the wedding. Jason, Tommy and I found our seats with Zach and Billy, a spot open for Annie's high chair that had been supplied from somewhere at the reception. We sat and I took it all in, loving her center pieces of large white candles and flowers. It was elegant and simple, the complete opposite of her and Rocky and it worked so well for them.

After taking pictures, the wedding party made their way into the tent. Aisha and Rocky had their first dance together, rocking back and forth under a spot light on the dance floor. Toasts were made next by Adam and Tanya as dinner was prepped to be served. Once they were finished, food was brought to the tables and we ate. It was a delicious meal of prime rib, chicken, salad and ziti and I found myself feeling quite full after eating. The sound of light chatter mixed with the music that was playing from the DJ as dinner was served. Plates were cleared away and coffee was brought out as the DJ began playing more upbeat music from the speakers. Jason got up and danced with Annie, her smiling and giggling as her father twirled her around the dance floor. It was adorable and I found myself smiling when I looked at them. Next to me, Tommy sat and under the table, he rested his hand on my knee. Glancing over at him, he smiled and I returned it.

"Wanna dance?" He asked as the melody turned over to a slow number. I nodded, standing up from the table. He did the same, taking my hand as he led me over to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I rest mine on his shoulders. Together, we swayed to the music.

"Ever wonder what our wedding would have been like?" I asked, gazing up at him. He shrugged his shoulder, frowning.

"Sometimes. Do you?" I nodded.

"All the time. I think about everything from the dress to the cake. I'm a girl though. That's normal. This could be us though if I hadn't broken up with you."

"Our entire lives would be different if the what ifs didn't happen." He stated, pulling my closer. Regretting the stuff you can't change doesn't help life get any easier."

"Wise words, Dr. O." I teased, causing him to blush slightly.

"Gotta use that degree somehow." He retorted, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, I am pretty sure it's advice I stole from Oprah or something so I can't take all the credit."

"Why is it that I can picture you sitting around in your underwear watching Oprah after school?" I asked, eyeing him.

"I guess that's a secret I'll have to take to the grave." The song ended, fading into another slow song. Jason appeared on our left, Annie in hand.

"Time to swap partners." He said, holding Annie out to Tommy. Tommy smiled at the baby who instantly reached out towards him. He slowly pulled his arms away from me and took the baby. Jason put his hand on my side and took my left hand with his other hand. I set my hand on his shoulder as we watched Tommy bounce away with Annie.

"That little chubby baby weighs a ton after a while." He said, stretching out his arm that was holding my hand. "We might need some baby Weightwatchers or something."

"Stop it. She's beautiful and perfect." I stated. "Speaking off, are you two up for some company for a few weeks? Just until I can find my own place." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You're moving back?" He asked.

"Well, yeah. Kinda hard for me to help you if I'm in Miami. I thought about just staying with Tommy but that's still four hours away. I can just stay with you until I find my own place in town."

"Don't get me wrong here, Kim. It's not that I don't want you to move back Believe me, I would love you too. But Annie and I can't be the reasons why you do. You should want to move back here because you want to be here. Not because you think you owe it to us." I frowned.

"Don't you need the help though?"

"Of course I do. I have help though. My parents are close by and I have everyone else here that can help me. Kim, you need to be where you think you need to be right now. If that place is here, great. If it's not, still great. They make planes, trains and automobiles for a reason." I turned my head so I was facing Tommy and Annie who were on the side of the tent where the cake was perched.

"I don't know what I want to do." I muttered.

"I think your therapist was right. I think you need to face the things in your past for you to move on. But, what if all those things weren't here? What if one of those reasons is the life you have down in Florida? You've said it yourself; you have friends, a job, an apartment. You've got it going in Florida. I think it would be better for you to figure what you want in life before you try to fix what you think if broken."

"What about you and Annie?" I asked.

"We'll be here still if you decide to come back. Or we could come to you. Either way, I know you're going to be a part of her life." We swayed to the music some more, not speaking. Finally, I cleared my throat and gazed back up at him.

"Are you sure?" He nodded.

"I don't want to be the reason you gave up something in your life that you care about. I think Florida is where you want to be. And we will be right here waiting for you when you come back."


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: LAST CHAPTER! What a ride, guys. I got a little choked up writing this chapter. I was thinking about the huge change we saw in Kim over the course of this fic and how much my life has changed since it started as well. I feel like I went into this a different person than I'm walking out of it as. I owe you all a great deal of appreciation for being there every step of the way. From those who comment after each chapter to those who hide in the shadows, reading after each update. You all make this such a good experience for me and I'm grateful I can do this. I have some new projects I am working on that I'll post previews for on here soon. As always, please R&R! Thank you all for hanging in there for this journey. I really hope you enjoy the ending. :)

Disclaimer: I still don't own Power Rangers. Happy?

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 _ **38.**_

After the wedding, Tommy and I decided it would be best for us to stay with Jason so I could see Annie as much as possible. Billy said he understood and that he would be over to see us while we stayed there. Over the course of the next few days, we spent so much time with Jason and Annie that I was certain he would be sick of us at some point. On Sunday, we went to the beach with the Billy and Zach. Monday, Disneyland. That was an adventure and a half that Annie loved. I bought her a pair of Mickey Mouse ears that she wore the entire afternoon. On Tuesday, we enjoyed a picnic in Angel Grove park like when we were kids. I was learning so much about Annie's personality. It was amazing to see so much spunk in a baby that made we wonder what her as a teenager was going to be like. She loved Jason unconditionally and was crazy about Tommy. She loved having Tommy rock her to sleep while Jason was the only one would could wake her up the morning. She loved going for long walks in her stroller, rocking her pink sunglasses I bought her . Her favorite toy was a stuffed tiger Jason had given her at birth and she liked to throw blocks at people when they weren't looking. She was Trini through and through, something that made me feel so grateful for because it was like her being here herself.

Wednesday, the fact I was leaving the next day hit me hard. I spent time with Annie on a long walk, stopping for some ice cream before heading back home. Jason let me do my laundry, all of my clothes dirty from our time here. After washing all of my laundry, I hauled it up the stairs to my bedroom to pack. Tommy and I would be heading to the airport late tomorrow morning to catch our flight. I wasn't looking forward to the long flight with a layover in Dallas but I was more upset about the fact I would be saying good-bye to everyone. Jason had offered to throw a get together tonight to give me a proper sendoff but I told him no. I didn't think I could handle saying good-bye to everyone all at once. It would just be better for them to get a phone call from me once I was back in Florida. Besides, it wouldn't be for too long. I had already spoken to Jason about letting me stay here with him around the holidays. I would be here for Annie's first Christmas and then back in time for her first birthday. I was already looking forward to that.

"Hey." Tommy said, knocking on my partially open door. I glanced over my shoulder and saw he was in the doorway, a small pile of clothes in his hand. My pink tank top was laying on top of the pile. "I found these in my clothes. Figured you would want them."

"Thanks." I smiled, taking them from him. "Does that mean you are all packed and ready to go?"

"Yes, ma'am!" He said proudly, sitting in the chair by the door. "All I have left to do is pack the stuff I'll need in the morning."

"Gotta say I'm impressed. Usually, you would be shoving everything in your bag right before getting in the car." I said, turning back to my suitcase. I put the clothes he had handed to me in there, returning back to my stack I had on my bed.

"Well, I guess all these travelling is starting to get to me. Who knows? Maybe I'll even start getting to the airport without having to sprint to the terminal."

"Don't push your luck." I replied, causing a laugh from him.

"Hey now. You never know. Speaking of, the realtor is coming to my house next Thursday so we need to make sure we're back into time for that."

"A realtor?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him over my shoulder while I finished shoving my clothes into my suitcase. "You're selling your house?"

"Yeah. It's not practical for us to be four hours away. It's not helpful for Jason if he needs someone to be there right away. I also have an interview at Angel Grove school the following week for the head of the science department. But it shouldn't take us that long to get all your stuff packed up and back here. You don't have that much anyway." This time, I turned fully around to face him.

"Why would my stuff becoming here?"

"That's the definition of moving, Beautiful." He replied, smirking at me. "Unless you just want to leave it all and buy new. I'm good with that too. Much cheaper than shipping it all here. Though, renting a truck and driving it back would also be a cheaper idea as well. Which every way you want to do it, I'm game."

"Tommy, are you under the impression we're going back to Florida to move me back here?" I asked, putting my hand on my hips. Tommy stood, nodding.

"Well, yeah. I know you were talking to Jason about it. I assumed that you were asking him if you could stay with him. Which is silly. You can just stay at my house with me until we find something here in town." I shook my head.

"I'm not moving back here." I said, looking up at him. "I'm going back to Florida because I live in Florida." A look of confusion came over his face.

"But what about Jason and Annie? He needs your help." He replied. I shook my head again, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I talked to him already. He said he would appreciate the help but he doesn't need it. He told me that I needed to figure out myself and that I could come back to visit any time I want. I'll be back here for the holidays. Jason told me already I could stay with him. I'm sure that means you could as well. But I think you moving to Angel Grove is a good idea, Tommy. You'll be closer to Jason and everyone else. I think you'd be much happier here."

"You don't listen to a god damn thing that any one tells you to do this entire time but NOW you choose to listen to Jason? I think YOU would be much happier here. All of your friends are here and Annie is here. Why would you want to go back?" He asked, frustration growing slowly on his face.

"That's where my apartment is. That's where my job is. That's where my treatment is. That's where I live. That's why I am going back." I took a deep breath. "Did you think I was going to move back here once I found out about Annie, Tommy?"

"Yeah. I did. Pretty stupid of me, wasn't it?" He muttered, pushing passed me and walking towards the door.

"Tommy, wait!" I said, grabbing his arm. "I get why you would think that but I told you before that I wasn't moving back here. Jason and Annie don't need me."

"Fine." He said, turning back to face me. "Fuck them. I need you here. What about me? Am I good enough reason to stay?" I opened my mouth to say something but words failed me. How was I supposed to explain to him that going back to Florida was the only chance I had at fixing myself so I could be with him? He would just tell me I didn't need fixing and try to win me over that way. It wasn't the truth. I wasn't ready to be that person Tommy needed right now and the only way to be that person was to finish what I started in Florida. His face hardened as I remained silent and he nodded. "You know what, Kim? I don't even think you know what you want half the time. You're all over the fucking place half the time. One minute, you're telling me you just want to be friends. The next, we're spending the whole week at my house sleeping together. I can't keep doing this back and forth shit. I feel like a fucking yoyo."

"I didn't mean for you to get hurt." I said softy. He let out a dark chuckle, shaking his head.

"It's funny how you keep saying that to people but yet it still keeps happening. I've literally bent over backwards for you to help you get back here. I've suffered through you attempting to murder me with bar glasses. I've done everything I can to help you and I still end up getting the shit end of the stick."

"I never asked you to do any of those things!" I exclaimed, anger building in my chest. "Never once did I ask you to drop everything and run to my rescue. You keep telling me how much you sacrificed to come save me, ignoring the fact I didn't even call you for help! If it's such a burden for you to take care of me, you should have left. You could have left right in the beginning when I told you to fuck off. You decided to stick around. You decided to stay when I told you to leave. You're the one who decided to inject yourself back into my life even after I kept telling you I didn't need you there."

"If I hadn't been, you would be dead." He shot back, glaring at me.

"I know!" I replied. "Do you honestly believe I don't love the fact you didn't leave? That you decided to stay through all the bull shit I put you through? If it wasn't for you, I know that I would have either died that day or would have ended up that way at some point. You coming back into my life saved it and there's no way on Earth I'll ever be able to repay you for it. But Tommy, you have to understand that I can't just move back here. I have a life down in Florida, one that I like and need to keep to make sure I get the help I need. I can't move back here. Miami is where I need to be right now. It's the only place where I'm going to be able to figure out how to fix myself. And I know you're gonna say I can do that right here but we both know I can't. There are too many distractions here that will get in the way of all that. I need to be somewhere that will allow me to stay focused."

"Then I'll move there." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll find a job down there and keep the house off the market until you're ready to come back here." I shook my head, running a hand through my hair.

"You can't just leave. Not now. Not when Jason is going to need someone here who knows Annie and how to take care of here. I know he says he can handle things but he can't do it alone. You've been there from the beginning and he needs you to keep being there for him and Annie. You can take that job in Angel Grove and buy a house here as well. You can keep to your plans and I can come see you when I visit." I saw moisture collect in his eyes as he put his hands on his hips.

"We can do the long distance thing again. We can make it work this time. We'll just call each other every night and take turns coming to visit."

"Tommy, you know that we can't."

"No." He said, shaking his head. "That's not how this is going to work. I can't live here while you're down there. Not if we're going to make us work again." It was time for my eyes to well.

"There is no us, Tommy." I whispered. "There's you and then there's me."

"You don't want to be together?" He asked softly as a tear slid down his cheek.

"It's not that I don't want to be." I felt the tears start to slip out. "I can't. Not right now. I'm not the person you deserve to be with."

"I can't keep doing this, Kim. I can't." He lowered his head, a shallow breath coming out.

"I know." I said, nodding. "That's why I'm going back to Florida. Alone." He raised his head to look at me, streaks where his tears were shining in the pale light of the room.

"Alone? No. I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not." I said, stepping towards him. "It'll only make things that much worse for you. I'm alright, Tommy. It's time for me to do this on my own. I have to prove to myself and everyone else that I can. Besides, you have to stay here for everything you've got going on."

"No." He shook his head, sniffling. "I'm not letting you go alone. I'm going with you."

"It's not about you letting me. It's about me doing this. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. I need you to stay here and take care of Annie. I need you to stay here and take care of Jason and the others. I need you to stay here and take care of yourself."

"But who's going to take care of you?"

"I guess it's something I'm going to have to start doing myself."

* * *

The next morning, I rolled out of bed and sat on the edge of it for a few minutes. The conversation between Tommy and I last night seemed to echo around the room. After, he had left my room without saying a word and I didn't see him again. I listened for a moment, trying to figure out if he was awake. I heard movement coming from the direction of his room. When I walked into the hallway though, his door was shut tight. I went back in my room and dressed, shoving my other clothes into the little empty space in my suitcase. I also grabbed my bag of toiletries from the bathroom and crammed it into the front compartment. I would need to start looking for a bigger bag if I was going to be making frequent trips back and forth. _Or you could just stay here_ , a voice said in the back of my mind. I shook it off, knowing full well that I was making the right choice. I dragged my bag downstairs where I found Jason and Annie in the kitchen.

"Morning, Aunt Kimmy!" Jason called from his place in front of the stove. He was making eggs in a frying pan, it sizzling as he ran the spatula over the surface. His chest was bare, a pair of gym shorts on his lower half. His hair was also sticking up all over the place. "Someone is excited to see you this morning." He pointed at Annie who was in a high chair in the corner of the room, Cheerios spread across the top of the tray. She let out a loud laugh when she saw me, shoving a fist full of cereal in her mouth. I set my bag down by the door way before walking over to her, a big smile on my face.

"Well, good morning to you too!" I said, kissing her forehead. She slammed her hand down on the tray in excitement. I grabbed a coffee cup from the cupboard above the coffee maker and poured myself a cup.

"Are you already for your trip?" Jason asked, scooping eggs on to a plate next to the stove. I nodded, turning with my coffee in hand so I could lean against the counter.

"As I'll ever be." I took a sip of the hot liquid, looking into it. "Do you know if Tommy is awake?"

"I heard him brooding around in there earlier. He's not going back with you?" He asked, cracking another egg into the pan.

"He's got some stuff to take care of here so we both figured it would be better for me to head back alone." I replied. Jason nodded, not turning to look at me. I turned my gaze over to Annie who was concentrating on the cereal in front of her.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, holding out the plate of eggs. I shook my head.

"No, thanks. I'll get queasy on the plane if I eat now." I lied. I knew it was because of my nerves of edge right now. Even coffee had been an edgy choice. The sound of the doorbell vibrated throughout the house and Jason swore.

"Can you get that? I'm like naked here." He said, turning the burner off before running out of the room.

"Sure." I replied. I set my coffee down and made sure that Annie didn't have anything left of her tray that she could choke on before walking out into the foyer. Unlocking the door, I pulled it open and found an entire group of people standing there. Aisha was in front, Rocky, Billy, Zach and Adam behind her. My eyes widened, surprised to see them standing there. Especially Aisha and Rocky. They were supposed to be on their way to their honeymoon right now.

"Hey!" Aisha said, hugging me tightly.

"Hi. What are you guys doing here?" I asked, stepping aside to let them all in the door. I noticed that Billy and Zach were carrying food containers and Rocky had two jugs of orange juice in hand. Aisha let me go, holding me at arm's length.

"Did you think we were really going to let you go without a proper good-bye?" She asked. I felt a lump form in the back of my throat and tears form in my eyes.

"I don't know what to say." I whispered. She pointed a finger at me.

"Don't start cause then we all will." She warned, rubbing my arms. Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, she led me into the dining room where the boys were busy clearing off the table and setting up our little breakfast buffet. I spotted quiches, bacon, fruit, and veggies as well as some of what looked like Rocky's mother's famous Spanish home fries. Jason came into the room from the kitchen, pushing Annie in her high chair. There were paper plates tucked into his elbow as he maneuvered her into the corner.

"I thought we said something smaller. And closer to nine." He said, eyeing Aisha. She shrugged. A noise behind me caused me to turn and I saw that Tommy was standing at the bottom of the stairs. We locked eyes for a moment before he disappeared into the other door of the kitchen. He came through the door Jason had just did, forcing a smile at Billy and Rocky. I felt my chest tighten and the tears threatened to fall again.

"I don't know about all of you but I'm starving." Rocky stated, sitting down at the table and grabbing a plate.

"Isn't that shocking?" Adam muttered, rolling his eyes.

We all sat down at the table and filled our plates with food. I filled mine but mostly ended up picking at it. I know I said that I didn't want to see everyone again before I left but I was glad my friends thought I was wrong. It was a perfect way to finish out my time here. I loved hearing the stupid antics between Rocky and Zach, listening to Billy explain something no one seemed to understand, and watching Aisha give her new husband a lashing for eating like a pig. It was exactly how I pictured breakfasts with all of us would have been when I was a teenager. We were all around the table, talking and laughing. Now and then, Annie would let out a cackle or a squeal, causing us all to laugh at her. She was enjoying the attention and Adam secretly taught her how to hurl cereal across the room at everyone, causing Jason to roll his eyes at the second black ranger. In turn, Zach began throwing pieces of melon at Adam each time Annie threw something. It had the beginnings of a food fight written all over it until Aisha used her best Mom voice to stop everyone but Annie who landed a Cheerio right on Aisha's forehead. That caused a round of laughter that lasted for at least five minutes.

I noticed during our breakfast, Tommy didn't eat much either. He made small talk with everyone, speaking when someone spoke to him. Mostly, he sat next to Billy and was quiet. I felt awful, seeing him this way. I wished there was a way I could make this all better but I didn't have one. Now and then, his eye would catch mine but he would turn away. It was becoming apparent to me that this might be the last time I saw Tommy. Especially if he was as angry with me as I was beginning to suspect. Fear gripped my heart at that thought. I didn't blame him but I didn't know what I would do if he didn't want to be my friend any more. If friendship was the best we could be, it would have to work. Losing him scared the shit out of me. I would have to try to make peace with him on the way to the airport somehow.

"When you come back for Christmas, we need to go skiing or something!" Aisha said as everyone starting packing up. I nodded, noticing it was time for me to head to the airport. I stood, helping them pile the plates to throw away.

"That would be fun." I said. "We'll have to plan the whole week out before I come back." I replied. Once everything was cleared, we found ourselves standing in the foyer. Tommy disappeared out the front door with my bags, coming back in a few moments later. He hung in the back of the room, staying mostly out of my sight.

"Don't be a stranger, alright?" Adam said, stepping in front of me. He leaned down and gave me a hug.

"I'll try not to be. If you end up coming through my neck of the woods, let me know." I said, pulling away. Rocky hugged me next, squeezing me tightly.

"Aisha and I will be down in November. We figured we could spend Thanksgiving together." He said, smiling. Aisha slapped him in the arm.

"That was supposed to be a surprise, asshole!" She hissed, glaring at him.

"Whoops." He mumbled, shrugging his shoulders. I laughed, shaking my head as Zach appeared in front of me next.

"Here's my friend's card." Zach said, handing me a business card. "I've got it all cleared if you're ever interested in recording a demo. Just give him a call and set it up, alright?" I nodded.

"I think about it. Thank you for everything." I gave him and hug, him returning it. As he pulled away, he shot me a wink before stepping back. I turned to Billy who was standing sheepishly to the side. I walked over to him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Call me if you ever need anything, okay? Especially with your Dad. Please give him my love, too." Billy nodded.

"Affirmative. Perhaps my travels will have located me in Florida for a duration."

"I would like that. I think I have a couple friends that would love to meet you." I hugged him again and he rubbed my back. Pulling back, I felt someone touch my shoulder and I saw Aisha. Tears filled my eyes as she pulled me into a bone crushing hug. She let out a little sob into my shoulder as we embraced.

"Girl, you gotta stop doing this to me." She laughed, rubbing mascara from under her eye as she pulled away. "Like the thug head said, we'll be down in November to see you. Try to stay out of trouble, okay? I will come down there and knock some sense into you if not."

"You better. Someone is going to have to. And let me know about coming down. You guys will have to come to the Glenmore Thanksgiving. It's great. You can meet all my friends down there. I wish I could just bring them all back here with me when I come back." I took a deep breath, trying to calm the tears. "I will call you like every day from now on."

"Like I wasn't going to call you." She replied, giving me another hug. I felt my heart grow heavy as I saw that only people remaining were Jason and Annie. He stood there, holding her in his arms. A tear slid down my cheek as he smiled at me.

"Well, I didn't think you'd cry that easy." He joked. I laughed, slapping him in the arm. I tucked my hands under Annie's arm pits and picked her up from her father's arms. Hugging her tightly, I kissed the top of her head. She squirmed in my arms, trying to see everyone behind me. Her eyes turned up towards me and she smiled, Trini's miniature version looking as beautiful as ever to me.

"Don't go getting any bigger when I'm not here, alright?" I said, more tears slipping down. "When I get back, you better not be a day older." She giggled, touching my cheek with her chubby fingers. "I'm gonna miss you so much. I'll be back though. And we're going to do some much together. I promise." I kissed her hand and her cheeks before turning back to Jason. He smiled warmly at me, holding his arms open. I stepped in as he hugged me, feeling my body shudder as the tears finally flowed. I wrapped my free arm around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Hey." He whispered in a soothing voice. "We're always here if you want to come back. Just a phone call and a plane ride away. Annie could use some Florida sunshine." I shook my head, pulling away.

"Only if it's for a visit. No more secret schemes to get me back here." I laughed, wiping my eyes. Jason smirked, nodding.

"I promise. Only kidnapping from now on." He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek before I handed Annie back to him. She whined a bit, reaching her hands out towards me again but Jason cradled her until she was calm. I took another deep breath, turning to face everyone.

"I'm so glad that I came back here and saw everyone. I didn't think it was something I was going to be able to do but I am so happy that I did. And like I said, I'll be back for the holidays and my door is always open if any of you are looking for a good excuse to come to Florida. We could do Disney or something if you do. I just wanted to say thank you for letting me back into your lives when you didn't have to. I don't deserve it but I'm humbled that you've allowed me to be. I'm going to miss all of you and maybe someday, I'll be able to move back here again." I felt the tears come again but I bit them back. "I love you guys and I can't wait until I'm back."

"It's time to go." Tommy said softly, speaking to me for the first time that day. I glanced over at him and nodded.

* * *

The ride to the airport was a quiet one. A ride so quiet that I was sure the sound of a pin dropping would be equal to that of an explosion. Tommy elected to keep the radio off as well, enhancing the silence between us as he drove. There wasn't a sense of tension between us like I thought there would be. There was no anger or frustration. There was sadness. The air in the jeep was filled with a sadness that was almost choking me to the point of suffocation. Every now and then, Tommy would make a movement like he was going to speak but he didn't. He just continued to drive while I sat in the passenger seat, a heaviness in my chest.

Pulling into the airport, I spotted a few planes taking off from a far away run way. Tommy pulled into a spot in the lot reserved for hour parking and climbed out before I could say anything. I climbed out as well as met him at the back of the jeep where he had my luggage. Without as much as w word, we crossed the street in the stripped cross walk and entered the building. Taking a left, we headed towards the direction of the terminal where Flight 549A would be taking off in exactly half an hour. We made our way through security, getting patted down by TSA. Tommy continued to pull my suitcase behind him, keeping his eyes straight ahead as we weaved around people who were trying to find where they needed to be.

Our terminal was at the very end of the wing. There were already a group of people milling around the doorway, waiting for the attendant to start calling people. Tommy and I stopped over by the large windows that overlooked the workers loading baggage and boxes onto the waiting planes. The sun was shining brightly, warming the area but I still felt cold inside. Tommy propped my suitcase up against a nearby chair, tucking his hands into his pockets. The sounds of the airport bustling around us did little to soften the silence between him and I. I wanted to scream but couldn't find the energy to do so.

"Please don't go." Tommy whispered. He had said it so faintly that I thought for sure I hadn't heard him right. Turning my head, I saw that he was looking down at me. "Stay here with me."

"I can't." I replied, those tears springing back up like an unwanted case of ass acne. "If I stay here, neither one of us is going to be able to move on."

"I don't want to move on. I love you. You're the only person on this planet that I'm ever going to want to be with."

"You don't know that, Tommy. You might find someone after I'm gone that can make you happy. I told you yesterday that this isn't a good-bye forever. I'll be back. And you never know what the future will hold for us. If we're meant to be, then it'll happen." I saw those tears in his eyes as the loud speaker above our heads kicked on.

"Flight 549A now boarding." A man said. Behind us, the group of people began to slowly file into the hallway that boarded onto the plane that sat right outside the window.

"Guess I'll just have to wait for you then." Tommy said, sniffling. "I've waited this long. I don't think a little while longer will kill me." He shrugged, smiling down at me.

"One of these days, you'll figure out that I'm not worth all this trouble." I said softly, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I'm afraid not, Beautiful. You'll always be worth that and more to me." Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he took my hands in his. "This reminds me so much of the last time I saw you off to Florida. Why does this time hurt so much more?"

"I don't know." I whispered, a tear slipping down my cheek. "You'd think by now we'd be pros at this." We both laughed, the sound coming foreign in the situation.

"I'm becoming a regular here it seems." He said, stroking the tops of my hands with his thumbs. "If you need me to come down there, don't hesitate to calm me. I mean it. I don't care if it's the middle of the night and you feel like drinking. Call me. I'll be there in a heartbeat. Even faster if Billy and I can ever figure out teleporting."

"I hope you do or else I'm going to have to get a better paying job to afford these trips. The money Joey gave me is only going to last so long. I'll have to find a good credit card that offers me miles each time I use it. I'm sure I'll find a way to squeeze in shopping somehow." I sniffed, the tears still wanting to fall.

"Of anyone I know, I'm pretty sure you could find a way to shop at any time." A small silence fell over us again.

"Last call for Flight 549A. Final boarding." The man said again. I felt something in my chest break as I realized my time with Tommy was up. The tears finally fell and I let out a soft sob. Tommy stepped forwards and pulled me into his chest in a tight hug. I balled my fists as I cried, not wanting the moment to end. How could I be leaving him again? How could I be letting this happen? I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to live another moment without Tommy by my side. I had to though. I had to go back and fix everything that was broken before I could commit myself to him. It was the only way that the two of us would ever work.

"You're gonna miss your flight." He whispered, pulling away slightly. He cupped my cheeks in his hands and pressed his lips to me in a sweet kiss. "C'mon." He grabbed my right hand in his left, grabbing my suitcase with his other. I continued to cry as we walked over to the door. Everyone else had boarded now, the attendants going over the manifest. A woman at the counter smiled at me when she saw me. Tommy held out my ticket to her and she took it, scanning it.

"You made it just in time." She said, cheerfully. "We're about to close up shop."

"Alright." I whispered. This was it. This was my final chance to tell Tommy how much he meant to me. How much I loved him. There might not be another opportunity to do this if for some reason we never find ourselves on the same side of the country again. Especially if I went back to Florida and messed up because, let's be honest here. I am Kimberly. Messing up is in the job description that is my life.

"Have a safe flight." Tommy said, taking my hands again. "Try not to cause a seen anywhere along the way."

"I'll try. Tommy, I have to tell you something before I go." I said, looking up at him. In his eyes, I saw so much pain and sadness. Again, I had caused this. This man needed to file a restraining order against me or something. All I ever do is break his heart. I couldn't do this. I couldn't tell him that I loved him. It would just hurt him even more. He would try to follow me down there and that just couldn't happen.

"What is it, Beautiful?" He asked.

"Thank you for everything." I said, my chest falling heavy. "And I'm going to miss you."

"Oh." He said, his face looking disappointed. "I'm going to miss you to. I'll try to get down there soon. Maybe I'll catch a ride with Aisha and Rocky when they come down."

"I'd like that." The woman next to us made a sound, signaling we were taking too much time. I stood on my tippy toes and kissed his cheek before taking my bag from him. "Take care of yourself, Tommy."

"You, too. And call me. Please. Any time."

"I will." I stepped passed him, pulling my hand from his as I walked towards the door. As I walked, I glanced over my shoulder at him. Tommy stood in the terminal, no one else around him. He looked like the defeated version of himself, a forced smile on his face as he waved at me. I could hear his heart breaking from here as he watched me go again. I stopped, willing myself to turn back and go to him. To stay the fuck right where I was with him and Annie and everyone. As I stepped towards him, the attendant closed the door of the gate and I could no longer see Tommy. She smiled at me, holding her hand out towards me.

"Do you need help to your seat?" She asked. I shook my head, slowly turning towards the door of the plane. She walked next to me, the blue heels of her outfit making soft clicking noise on the carpet under our feet. "Good-bye are hard, aren't they?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah. They are."


	39. Chapter 39

_**Sober – Drunk Me Epilogue**_

 _ **December 4th, 2004**_

 _ **Miami, Florida**_

"Good evening, everyone!" I called into the microphone, stepping forward. The small crowd in front of the stage at the newly renovated Glenmore Bar and Grill cheered as I did. "How is everyone doing?" I asked, a cheer coming as I did. A smile spread across my face as I let out a little giggle. "I'm Kimberly and I want to thank you for coming out tonight. How about we start out tonight with a little holiday cheer?" There was another cheer and I glanced over my shoulder at Lance, my lead guitarist, who nodded. He signaled Tony, the drummer and Darla, our bassist, who began the chords for Jingle Bell Rock. The lights above us began to change, going from white to red and green. The beat picked up as I danced around a bit before heading back to the microphone.

"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock." I sang, the crowd singing along with me. It gave me a warm feeling throughout my entire body as their voices mixed with mine over the speaker system. We went through the song, heading towards the chorus with them going strong. The crowd of about four hundred people were dancing and singing, drinks in their hands as they did. Throughout the mob of people, I spotted Sandra and Becky making their way through with trays of drinks. They gave orders to customers, taking more as they did. I even spotted Joey towards the back of the group, jotting drink orders down from those not wanting to be too close to the stage. People say a lot can change in a short time. They aren't fucking kidding.

When my flight landed in Miami, Joey had been there to pick me up. I told him all about California and the fun I had. He revealed to be that he also knew about Annie but thought it wasn't his place to tell me which was understandable. He also told me everything that happened when he called Jason. We had a long conversation about it and I told Joey that I was grateful for him doing so. If he hadn't, I had no doubt in my mind that I would have ended up dead. It was an exhausting conversation to have but I could tell that Joey felt better about things once we did. He asked me why I had decided to come back and I explained to him my reasons. He didn't pry any more into it and said that my job as a book keeper was still here for me as well as the money he gave me. I opted to keep it in my safe, adding to it each time I get paid.

After coming back, Joey informed me that he was planning on doing some renovations to the bar. The owner of the building next door to us had decided to sell the property to Joey and he planned on demolishing both buildings and rebuilding the Glenmore. I told him this was a great idea and jumped head first into help him plan everything out. I worked with him and the developers to sketch out a building plan that would work best for him. I also made a budget that he would be able to afford to ensure that the plans were able to go forward. It would mean that the Glenmore would need to be closed for the month of September, forcing Joey to find another way for him to find revenue and for the rest of the staff to work for a pay check. That's when he decided to rent out a small little cabana like building right on the beach. He snagged a liquor license fairly quickly and we were up and running. The cabana gave us a chance to sell alcohol near the beach, catching the end of the traveler's season. Since there was no kitchen available, Joey rented a hot dog cart as well. Al loved the idea, coming up with gourmet hot dogs to sell along with our new beach themed drinks. Since there was still alcohol in the picture, Joey allowed me to work from his house doing the books or I would spread flyers up and down the boardwalk about our grand reopening. It was a successful month for Joey and the Glenmore was getting a makeover that it desperately.

Unknown to me during the planning phase, Joey had asked the team to build a large enough space in the bar for a performance area. He wanted it to be big enough for a stage and a large group to listen to music. I had figured he wanted the space for events like weddings and what not. When we arrived the day before construction was over, I was surprised to see a fully functioning stage in the large bar room equipped with lights and speakers around it. When I asked him about it, he told me that I was going to be needing a new stage to perform on once I was ready to get back at it. Until then, he was going to hire local bands to play gigs to draw people in. It was a brilliant idea because dozens of bands came crawling around, asking to be there for opening night. Joey picked a local band that had some popularity in the area. And on opening night, we had close to a thousand people come in the door. It was just what the place needed and I had never been so proud to call the Glenmore home before.

Once I was back in Miami, I called Dr. McAvoy's office and told them that I was changing programs. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to go back there. Instead, I found another therapist in the area who I saw for a couple of weeks until they referred me to an Alcoholics Anonymous program in town. I've been going there since the end of August and it's helped me a lot. I do keep in touch with the people I met through the other program, Pete keeping tabs on me whenever he can. I wished that I had kept going to see Dr. McAvoy but it was too much for me to handle. There was too much past there and I needed a fresh start that didn't involve someone who knew that much about me. I've been sober six months now, something I never saw possible. Each day it's a struggle but I don't find myself craving alcohol like I used to. There are days where it's bad but most of them, I find myself being able to enjoy life without needing it there. I wouldn't be this far without the help of my friends from the Glenmore. They also keep me in check, keeping an ever watchful eye on me whenever I'm at the bar or around liquor. It's like have six sets of parents but I wouldn't it change it for the world.

Around the time that Joey told us that the Glenmore would be closed for a month, I decided that I needed a change in my life. A big one. I called Evan, Zach's friend here in Miami. I met with him and together, we wrote a song for me to record for a demo tape. It took about two weeks to come up with the song, set it to music and then record it with his studio. It was a surreal experience, singing in a sound booth and then hearing myself played back like that. Not to toot my own horn but I thought it sounded great. I could pinpoint parts I didn't like of it but overall, I felt great about doing it. Even covered to send it to a copy of music executives he knew but I told him to wait. I wanted to just hold on to it to see how I felt about it. I did send a copy to Zach though, after promising that I would. I also gave a copy to Joey. He loved it, saying that it was one of the best things he had ever heard. I'm pretty sure Joey will always have that proud Poppa status when it comes to me. Joey being Joey though, he had the guy who programs our jukebox add it to it. Since I wasn't there at night, I had no idea that my song was getting played for patrons of the bar on nights when there was no band. He also managed to send the song to a local radio DJ who played it on the radio one night. To my surprise, I woke up the next morning with calls from other radio stations asking if they could play it on their stations.

With my song taking off slowly, I decided that it was time for me to try singing again. I told Joey and he said he was all for it. I started off slow, singing on Monday nights at the bar when it was slow. Though, it stopped being slow after a while. More and more people were coming to see me, after hearing me sing on the radio. It started getting to the point that Joey had to have all the girls on those nights to keep up with the crowd. That's when Joey suggested the idea of bringing in a band to play with me. We auditioned like fifty people before we settled on the group behind me. They are talented and easy people to get along with. Lance is a twenty-four-year-old college student studying History, Tony is a twenty-nine-year-old college graduate with a degree in music and Darla is a twenty-one-year-old who is still trying to figure out what to do with her life. They perform with me every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, hopping up on this stage at the Glenmore to help me sing. We've started writing songs together, trying them out on our audience when we can. I'm still mostly performing covers, sticking with my roots that landed me here. I haven't gotten any calls from huge music producers and I'm no Madonna but I'd like to say that I'm moderately successful. Someday, I might find my way back into a recording studio to do an album or some more singles. For now, this was nice. I liked singing to a group that was singing back with me, the faces swarming together under the lights above me. This was something I never thought possible.

"You guys are awesome!" I called out as the song ended. "I'm pretty sure Santa Claus himself would agree with me." I wiped the sweat the was pouring from my brow on the back of my arm. Locking eyes with Sandra who was near the stage, she nodded. Heading through the mob, she made her way to the bar. "Alright. For our next song, we're going to play something you've might have heard on the radio. It's a song that's very near and dear to me and I hope ya'll enjoy it." Sandra appeared next to the stage again, a cold and crisp bottle of water in hand. Smiling, I bent down and took it from her. I cracked it open, taking a huge sip from it. Sealing it back up, I set it on the floor next to the mic stand. "This is a song called Sober."

"Woo!" Someone in the front row called, making me laugh. Behind me, I heard the bass line creep in as I nodded to the beat of the music.

"I don't know. This could break my heart or save me. Nothing's real until you let go completely. So here I go with all my thoughts I've been saving. So here I go with all my fears weighing on me. Three months and I'm still sober. Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers. But I know it's never really over."

It was true. I'm sober. This is the clearest I've been in over a year and a half. And it hasn't been easy. Everything I had to go through was for a reason. Some of the reasons I'm still unsure of but it's been such a long road. I think back to those days where I was drinking myself to death almost and I can't imagine how I was able to get to where I am now. I went from being drunk on stage to performing to entire room full of people. This doesn't happen. It's still hard for me to figure out how the fuck I got here. I owe everything in my life to my friends here and my friends in California. My entire life is different now and I was beginning to see the hope of a bright future for me. A road that wasn't full of questions or uncertainties like it had been before. I had everything going for me. I was still in close contact with mostly everyone back home. I call Aisha every other night, each of us telling the other how their days went or what stupid thing Rocky did. I talk to Jason on a regular basis too. We had invested in laptops so that we would be able to use webcams to see each other. I loved seeing Annie on the screen, her getting bigger by the day it seemed. She would smile each time she saw me. Jason told me the other night she's even starting to talk. Her first word had been Daddy, something that made my big strong best friend want to weep like a baby. I also get called from Adam, Billy and Zach frequently too. Zach came down to visit at the end of September, meeting with Evan and I in the studio so he could hear me perform the song live. Aisha and Rocky hadn't been able to come down in November like they had planned. This was because she found out they were expecting their first child a few weeks before that and she wanted to tell their families. I told her it was fine and that I would be seeing them the week of Christmas.

Only, I wasn't.

"I don't know. I could crash and burn but maybe. At the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me. So I won't worry about my timing I wanna get it right. No comparing, second guessing. No, not this time. Three months and I'm still breathing. Been a long road since those hands I left my tears in but I know. It's never really over, no."

Even though I was still in contact with everyone back in Angel Grove, there was one person I hadn't heard from much. Tommy and I had called a couple times in the weeks that followed. It had been fine but in the end, it was too painful for the both of us to talk to each other. It was an unspoken agreement between us one night and the calls stopped. As much I wanted to hear his voice, I knew it wasn't fair for him. Jason had told me he was having a hard time adjusting. He had sold his house and started teaching at Angel Grove but he was still miserable. I had hoped that it would be easier for him to live if I stopped talking to him. It seemed to work. Jason told me that he thought Tommy was getting better. I wasn't though. With everything going good in my life, I was still so incredibly sad about Tommy not being here with me. He was the one thing in my life that hadn't righted itself. It was like there was an empty void there that I couldn't find something to fill it with. We were both better off this way though. And I also knew that going back for Christmas would be an awful idea. Jason had agreed that him and Annie would fly down here in January before her birthday so I could spend time with them. I just haven't found a way to tell the others yet. It hurt that I wasn't going to be able to be there but I knew I had to do this to keep Tommy from opening healing wounds again.

"Three months and I'm still standing here. Three months and I'm getting better yeah. Three months and I still am. Three months and it's still harder now. Three months I've been living here without you now. Three months yeah, three months. Three months and I'm still breathing. Three months and I still remember it. Three months and I wake up. Three months and I'm still sober. Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers…"

The crowd cheered as I trailed off, the last notes of the sound echoing around the room. We went through a few more songs, doing covers for Pink and Avril Lavigne. Around nine, Joey signaled me for my intermission. I told everyone that we were taking a little break and would be back in a few minutes. With a wave, I walked through the door that was on the stage that led to the little green room back there. The band opted to head to the bar, none of them dealing with alcoholism. They were good about only drinking between sets and not on stage though, something we had talked about. I perched myself up on the chair in front of the mirror in the green room. It was a small thing, big enough for a couch and a make up table. It was the only part of the Glenmore that wasn't complete yet. Joey had decided to finish this part himself, explaining the dry wall he tried to cover up with band posters. It was okay though. It had a good vibe to it that reminded me of a back stage area at concerts.

"Kimberly?" A voice asked as someone knocked on the door. Turning around, I was surprised to find Dr. McAvoy standing there. Her hair was longer now, tucked into a high ponytail that travelled down her back. She looked weird, standing there in a long sleeve green sweater dress and black boots up to her knees. I stood up from the chair, unsure as to why she was here.

"Dr. McAvoy, it's good to see you." I said, stepping towards her.

"Can I come in?" She asked, gesturing into the room. I nodded and she walked in, shutting the door behind her. "I saw online that you were going to be performing tonight so I figured I would pop down to see you. You look great out there. How are you?"

"I good. I'm really good. And you?" I asked. She smiled, clasping her hands in front of her.

"I'm hanging in there. Are you still going to treatment meetings?"

"I am. I go every Tuesday and Thursday night." I explained. "I still talk to Pete and everyone. I hear the Center has some good stuff going on. I'm glad."

"We do. We have a new doctor coming aboard to help me with the caseload. It will be good. I'm looking forward to it." She locked her eyes on me. "So, how is baby Ann doing?"

"She's doing great." I replied, smiling. I reached into my bag on the table and pulled my cell phone out. I opened it and pulled my pictures up so I could show her. Dr. McAvoy laughed, smiling at the sight of Annie shoving fists full of melted chocolate in her mouth from Halloween.

"She's precious. I am glad that you've reconnected with Jason and were able to meet her. When Tommy told me about her, I knew that it would be an important step for you to head in the right direction." I felt my body tense up at the mention of Tommy's name. "How are things with Tommy?"

"Fine." I said quickly, turning away from her to put my phone away.

"Oh? It doesn't sound fine." She replied.

"We both decided to take some time a part. That's all. He's back in California and I'm here. It's the smart decision anyway. It wasn't right for me to leave and expect him to wait for me to come back."  
"Tommy is a good man. Those don't come around very often." Dr. McAvoy sighed and walked over to the couch. She bent down and sat on the arm of it. "Kimberly, I need to be honest with you about something."

Jesus, why does this keep happening to me?

"Okay. About what?" I asked, turning to face her.

"I decided to go into this field about ten years ago. I always knew I wanted to work with people in the mental health field since I was a kid. I always figured it would be my own practice where I could work with kids. It was something I told my husband, Eric, about on our first date and something we talked about the entire time I was in school." She folded her hands in her lap. "Even after the birth of our son, Philip, I knew I wanted to open my own practice. We even found office space for me to start setting up shop. I was ecstatic to start the process. Eric was behind me the entire way, agreeing to stay home with Philip while I was finishing my degree and working on the office. Not many men would do that now would they?"  
"I suppose not." I murmured.

"I was on cloud 9. One week before I was set to open, Philip had a doctor's appointment. It was a normal thing for a three year old. Never thought anything of it. Eric said he'd take him and would meet me after for lunch. I got a phone call a little before eleven, telling me I had to meet them both at the hospital. Eric wouldn't tell me anything over the phone and that I just needed to hurry. I got there as fast as I could, not sure what I was about to walk into. The pediatrician told us that while running Philip's blood tests, they discovered he had leukemia. I was floored. It was the last words anyone wants to hear about their child and here we were. He was optimistic that he was going to be fine and that we had caught it early enough. They scheduled his chemo the follow week, following surgery to put his port in. I wasn't sure how else to take everything going on. I decided to put my office on hold until Philip had a clean bill of health. The doctors said it would be a matter of a month or so and were sure he would do fine." She took a deep breath. "Only, he wasn't. It moved from his blood stream to his bones and then kept going. We watched our vibrant three year old son get pumped full of poison as everyone kept telling us that it's something that happens."

"That's awful." I whispered.

"Eventually, my office became a figment of my imagination. I had to give up the space to afford his treatments and started working full time at the hospital here in town. My husband didn't handle it well. We started fighting and he would tell me all the time I was putting work in front of taking care of our son. He started drinking, something I never knew he had a problem with before. I guess in college he had a slight drinking problem that just seemed to help him become a full blown alcoholic a lot faster than someone else. I avoided dealing with his problem, more concerned about Philip. Miraculously, he started doing better and they said he had gone into remission. We were relieved but our problems didn't stop there. Eric was still drinking, some times all day and night. I had to start leaving Philip with friends instead of with because I wasn't sure if he would be able to do it. A year after our son was diagnosed with cancer, Eric was diagnosed with acute liver failure. The alcohol had killed off most of his liver, making it unable to function on it's own. They placed him on a waiting list for a transplant. Eric never made that far. He died a couple months later, three weeks shy of his 30th birthday." I gasped, covering my mouth.

"Dr. McAvoy, I am so sorry for your loss." She gave me a small smile, nodding.

"Thank you. I remember being so angry with him for what he had done to himself and our family. I stayed that way for a while too. But then, I realized that he was only coping in a way he knew how. Where I had my work to turn to, he had alcohol. That's when I knew I had to do something to help other people avoid the same fate as him. That's how I developed the Center. I had to find a way to honor him and stop other families from getting destroyed by drugs and alcohol abuse. I think that's why I found myself so drawn to your story. I saw so much of my husband's story in yours that it made me very fearful of what might happen to you if you didn't find sobriety. I wanted to see you achieve something that Eric was never able to. And you have. I am so proud."

"Thank you. It's because of you and the program. There's no way I could have done it with you or everyone there. It's amazing how you took something like that and made it into something so beneficial for so many. How is your son? Is he still in remission?" I asked. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Unfortunately, no. Philip died during the summer." She replied. "His cancer came back more aggressively in more parts of his body. There was nothing that could be done to help him." My eyes widened as she spoke. Flashes back to the time she missed our appointment for her son came to mind, her speaking about taking him to the doctor. Then I thought about the last time I had seen her, right before we left for California. She had been dressed in all black and the Center had been closed.

"His funeral was the day I left, wasn't it?" I whispered. She nodded.

"It was. I needed to make sure you were going to be okay before you left. Like usually, I tossed myself into work to deal with everything."

"I had no idea." I said, shaking my head. "I'm so sorry. That is all so much for one person to bear."

"That's what I used to think." She said, standing. "Again, I ended up mad but not at Philip or Eric. More like I was angry with God. He tore my entire life away from me and didn't seem to leave a reason behind to tell me why. A couple days after Philip passed, I found myself sitting at home and drinking wine. A voice inside of me told me that it wasn't the way I was supposed to be dealing with this. That neither one of them would want me to deal with it like that. It took me a long time to realize that my life can't stop just because someone else's did." She peered over at me, smiling. "Just like how you can't stop living life because Trini is gone. And you can't keep robbing yourself of happiness because you don't feel like you're good enough for it. There is no such thing as dying of a broken heart unless you lay down and let it happen, Kimberly."

"I don't know what you mean." I whispered. She gave me another small smile, heading over to the door.

"I think you do. And I think you know just what you need to do to change that too." She shot me a wink before slipping out of the door. A moment later, Joey walked in. He looked up the hallway, confused.

"Who was that?" He asked, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

"My therapist." I said, staring off into space. She was right. I knew what I had to do. "Hey, Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you up for a road trip?"

* * *

 ** _December 7th, 2004_**

If you haven't spent 39 hours in a car with Joey before, I would highly suggest it. He made the entire trip from Miami to Angel Grove a lot less nerve racking than it could be. And he had just dropped everything at the bar that moment, telling me he was ready to do that second. We only stopped long enough to grab a bag of clothes before hopping on the interstate. I didn't even finish my set, telling the band I was sorry but had to go. I'm sure they would be able to figure something out. As we drove, we passed through towns that had small amounts of snow and avoided massive amounts of road work, thanks to the late time of year. We took turns driving, my skills getting less rusty than they had been. Joey seemed more excited to be heading out to Cali than I was, nervous butterflies flapping around in the pit of my stomach as we rolled into the state lines.

Three hours later, Joey's truck passed the Welcome to Angel Grove sign. It was a little passed 8 am, school busses parked as they picked up kids for school. It was just as sunny, breezy and quaint as I remembered, bringing me back not to my childhood but this past summer. I directed Joey to take a left on Maple and soon, he was pulling into the driveway of the high school. I checked my reflection in the tiny mirror above my head, climbing out of his truck once he was parked.

"What are you going to do now, kid?" He asked, opening the window.

"I'm not sure but I gotta do something." I replied. He smiled, nodding at me to go. Turning, I jogged across the packed parking lot to the front door. Pulling the glass door open, I found myself standing in the waiting area by the office. A woman was sitting in a window to the far left and she smiled at me when I noticed her.

"Good morning!" she said cheerful as I jogged towards her. "How can I help you?"

"I need to see a teacher." I replied. She stared at me, waiting for me to continue.

"Well," She said, trying not to laugh. "You've come to the right place. We've got a lot of them."

"Oh." I breathed, laughing a little. "I need to see Dr. Oliver."

"Ah! That's better. Hold on." She leaned to her right to look at a list tapped to the wall next to her head. "He's in room 310. If you go out these doors, take a left then a sharp right. It's the last room on the left side."

"Thank you." I replied, turning and quickly puling the door open. I jogged to the left, spotting the sharp right where our lockers as junior high kids were. I could hear teachers teaching classes all around me, their voices drowning together as the spoke. It was nice to see that the school still had the same weird color pattern to it as I made my way up the hall. I heard Tommy's voice mixing in with the other teachers as I neared the last door on the left. I spotted a wooden door with construction paper Christmas lights on the front if, someone's attempt at holiday cheer. Above that, there were six small windows where only every other one was not frosted. Stepping closer, I peaked through the bottom pane. Tommy was standing at the front of the room, a long ruler in hand as he pointed it at the green chalk board behind him. He looked like he was excited about what he was teacher where his students looked like they had gone back to bed. My breath hitched in my throat as I thought about my next step. I didn't think I would get this far.

"Come on, guys. I know it's Monday and it's early. I promise that if we can get through this, there might be some cookies in store for us on Friday." He called, glancing around the room. As he did that, his eyes swept over the door and stopped when they saw me in the window. My heart stopped, fearful he could hear it. He was dressed in a faded red button up shirt with black pants, his hair shorter now with a slight goatee growing on his chin. His eye brows raised when he realized it was me, stopping him in his tracks. Finally, I was able to smile in his direction.

"Dr. O?" A student asked, causing Tommy to come back to life.

"Sorry, guys. Can I have just one minute?" he asked. There was murmur around the room as he set the ruler down on the table by the chalk board. Wiping his hands free of dust, he walked towards the door. My fight or flight feeling was starting to seep in and I shoved it out of my mind. He pulled the door open, stepping out far enough so he could close it with a decent sized gap in it. "Kimberly, what are you doing here?" He asked, looking down at me.

"Dr. McAvoy came to see me. She told me about her husband and her son. Did you know about them?" I asked. He shook his head. "They both died. That's why she opened the center. Her husband drank himself to death and then her son died of cancer. She came to find me to tell me about how she was able to find a way to deal with life after death. And I'm starting to think that she might have been right." I said, linking my fingers in front of me.

"About what?"

"I've spent this entire time worrying about what Trini would think of my life. I was afraid that she would judge me for the things I've done and how I was self sabotaging. That everything I did was stupid as all holy fuck. But now, I know that I need to live life in the way where I can have every opportunity available to be. I need to live and not die just because Trini isn't here."

"Sounds good." He said, crossing his arms.

"I shouldn't have done that to you, Tommy. I shouldn't have done pretty much everything I did to you. You deserve better than that but I also deserve better than what I give myself. I convinced myself that I wasn't worthy of anything that was good because of the grief and the regret. After being shoved in a car for two days, I think I'm finally able to see that I deserve to be live the wife I want to." He glanced at the floor, kicking his foot on the ground

"Kim, is this more mind games or are you trying to get to something?" He asked.

"I'm home, Tommy. I'm home. And I'm never leaving here again. I want to be here with Jason and Annie and everyone else. I want to pick up where my life left off with a successful singing career and all of my friends around me. I want to see Annie grow up and help her remember Trini. I want to give myself the second chance that I deserve." I took a deep breath. "I want that second chance at us." His eyes widened as he turned to look up at me. "I love you, Tommy. I always have and I always will. I've tried everything I could think of to stop, including drowning the thoughts away. It never changed though. Drunk me can't get over you. And sober me doesn't want to. I love you." I whispered. "I'm sorry about running away again but I promise to never do it again."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "This isn't just something you can take back." I nodded.

"This is the one thing in my life I'm pretty sure of." Smiling, Tommy took three long strides towards me until I was wrapped up in his arms. He pressed his lips against mine in a long kiss, every emotion we had been holding letting out as our lips met.

"I love you, too." He breathed as we pulled away. He pressed his forehead against mine and let out a soft chuckle. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." I smirked.

"I'm pretty sure I've heard that one from you before."

* * *

 _ **Did you guys really think I was going to leave our girl Kim high and dry? Sorry if I emotionally scarred you for a couple of hours. I was getting some serious death threats from a couple of you (MARCI.) Again, thank you all for reading and I really hope this was a proper ending. :)**_


	40. Chapter 40

_**Hey guys! So for my next project, I need a little help from all of you!**_

 _ **I am going to be doing a collection of one shots from ideas you send to me. I'm hoping to get about ten or fifteen of them and will be uploading a new one each week.**_

 _ **So, send me your ideas. I do have some ground rules I'll post below to help narrow it down. I'm looking for all kinds of ideas! It could be a scene from one of my other stories you wanted to see or a follow up of one of them. Even something brand new that you haven't seen done before! I am all ears and open to anything.**_

 _ **Rules:**_

 _ **1\. Try to keep it MMPR/Dino Thunder/Turbo Movie. I don't have that much knowledge of the other seasons so it would really be much of a good read to ask me to do a story about something I know nothing about.**_

 _ **2\. Each one-shot will be one chapter, 6 pages long.**_

 _ **3\. Don't even suggest a fic where Tommy picks Kat. That's icky.**_

 _ **4\. If there are similar ideas, I'll combine them.**_

 _ **5\. Everyone will be given credit for their ideas/suggestions in their one-shot.**_

 _ **6\. Sex is okay!**_

 _ **7\. So is death.**_

 _ **I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas!**_


	41. New Story Preview

A/N: Hey guys! I know. I tend to just diappear for a while after I finish a story. I'm sorry! Anyway, here is a preview of my new story. It's titled Beautifully Broken. I don't want to go into too much detail so you guys can check out below. It might be a couple days before this rolls out but it will. Also keep an eye out for my first round of one-shots that will be coming! And there just might be another story preview coming as well...:)

As always, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!

* * *

 **Beautifully Broken**

The anger flowed through me as I pushed the gas pedal down to the floor. The needles jumped, my engine roaring to life. Weaving in between cars on the interstate, I knew it was dangerous to drive like this but I didn't care. I was too fed up at this point. Lies. More fucking lies coming from people that were supposed to be my friends. If I end up with a ticket, maybe Jason and Trini will pay it for me for all the fucked up shit they just did to me.

" _It wasn't our place."_

Bullshit, it wasn't. It wasn't like it was some top secret government agency secret they were keeping here. How hard was it for them to tell me that Kimberly was back in town? Especially everything that has happened over the last few years. I know that splitting with Kat wasn't too big in their eyes but for me it was. Both of them knew what happened between Kim and I after that happened. How she just disappeared into thin air like nothing happened. He knew that. So did Trini. Both of them had said that they wished we were back together. So why on Earth would you not tell me that the love of my life had moved back to Angel Grove?

My tires squealed as I peeled off the interstate on exit 16, Angel Grove printed on the green sign in reflected white paint above it. I finally slowed down a little, not wanting to flip my jeep over in my rush. A man in a dark blue truck flipped me off as I passed him in the shoulder, me returning the favor as I did. Five miles down the road, the Welcome to Angel Grove sign appeared on the right side of the highway and I sped up again. I continued to pass cars in non-passing zones, keeping my eyes peeled for police as I did. Entering the actual city limits, sidewalks appeared and I searched like a hawk for anyone who might have been a petite brunette with a favoritism of pink.

Coming upon Angel Grove Park, I took a right and headed to Avery Avenue. I spotted the tall brownstone apartment building on the corner of Avery and Madison, the five story building being the tallest for at least a couple blocks. My jeep was barely at a stop against the curb in front of the building before I climbed out. Slamming the door shut, I took five long strides around it and headed for the glass front doors. Pulling on them, I found they were locked. Growling under my breath, I turned my attention to the intercom system by the door. I spotted Trini's last name by unit 4B and pressed the button next to it. It ranged, the sound crackling through the speaker on the wall.

"Hello?" Trini's voice said through it.

"Trini, it's Tommy." I said, putting my hands against the wall so I could lean forward. I heard her swear under her breath.

"Now isn't the best time, Tommy." She said. "I'm about to jump in the shower."

"I'm sure your new roommate can keep me company while I wait." I snapped. There was silence, the only sound coming from the crackling noise. "Trini, I know she's up there."

"Go home, Tommy." She stated. "Come back in a couple days when you calm down."

"Let me in, Trini." I said through gritted teeth. "I just want to see her."  
"Not now. Go home before I call Jason." She shot back, dropping the connection through the speaker. I swore loudly, punching the brick wall. Someone walking by jumped out my outburst, their little dog barking loudly at me. I swore at them as well, causing them to walk by faster. Putting my hands on my hips, I paced. I slammed my finger onto the button again but no one answered. I did it again and like before, it went to her voicemail. I went back to pacing, trying to figure out how I could scale the building up to the fourth floor without dying. Walking around the corner, I saw there was no fire escape that I could reach, the ladder folded up on the second floor landing. It was the same on the other side, the cast iron stairs just out of my reach. I walked back up front, running a hand through my hair.  
"Oh, dear." An elderly woman's voice said behind me. Turning, I saw she was in the doorway of the building. She couldn't have been much taller than four feet, a big purple sweater over her little bent over frame and white hair combed neatly on her head. "I forget my keys sometimes too. Here you go." She said, smiling at me sweetly as she held the door open for me. I jogged forward, holding open the door. She stepped out, looking up at the sky. "Looks like rain!" She called before slowly shuffling up the sidewalk. I watched her go, making sure she would be alright before disappearing behind a park car.  
Inside the building, I jogged through the lobby and passed the wall of brass mailboxes. I slammed my hand onto the elevator door and waited impatiently for the doors to open. A couple people came out when they did and I shoved my way into it. I pushed the fourth floor button and repeated press the close button until they slowly slid shut. As the elevator rose, I thought about what I would say to Kimberly. It was falling between the lines of "What the fuck did I do to deserve this?" and "I love you, please take me back." It might just come out a mixture of both. I was still trying to figure out how to handle Trini. I understood her wanting to stand up for Kimberly but she was my friend too. I didn't deserve to be flat out lied to, even if she wasn't trying to hurt me. I needed answers and I was going to get them.

The elevator doors opened on the fourth floor and I jogged out of them. Taking a left, I ran down the long beige colored hall until the white door with the brass 4B on it appeared. Raising my hand, I pounded my fist on it. On the other side, I could hear movement and I thought voices. I pounded again, placing my hands on either side of the door frame. "Trini!" I called. "Come on. Please just open the door."

"I called Jason. He's on his way." She called through the door.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving until I talk to her." I replied. There was some shuffling and I heard a metal sliding noise. The door opened slightly and Trini appeared there, a not amused expression on her face.

"You have to go." She said, her eyes narrowing. "She doesn't want to see anyone."

"Yeah, well she should have thought of that before, shouldn't she?" I asked, shoving the door open. She stumbled back a few steps, unable to stop me from entering. "Kim?" I called, walking up the hallway. I poked my head into the kitchen and the bathroom as I passed, not seeing her. I rounded the corner and saw that she wasn't in the bedrooms either. The doorway of the living room was at the end, telling me that was where she had to be. Taking a deep breath, I walked in and saw Kimberly standing by the window that over looked the street. She didn't turn to look at me when I entered, her arms crossed over her chest. Her hair was shorter now than it had been the last time I saw her. It was cut short right above her shoulder and she seemed thinner as well, the grey sweatshirt she wore seeming to hang off her shoulders along with the black leggings she wore.

"Tommy!" Trini exclaimed, running into the living room behind me. "What the fuck has gotten into you? You need to leave. Now." She said, pointing at the door behind me. I shook my head, turning away from her.

"Kimberly?" I asked, stepping towards her. "Can I talk to you?" She didn't make a move to look at me, her vacant expression still looking out the window. "Kim?"

"She doesn't want to talk." Trini said, putting a hand on my arm. I pulled it away from her. Behind us, I heard Trini's front door open again.

"Trini?" Jason's voice called.

"I'm not going unless she tells me that!" I exclaimed. "Talk to me, beautiful." I said, reaching out a hand and touching her elbow gently. Kimberly flinched, nearly jumping out her skin to be out of reach of me. She finally turned to look at me, utter fear coming across her face as she did. I froze, unsure of what had happened. Was she afraid of me? I knew I came in here like a psycho but I didn't think I was that scary. "Kimberly? What's wrong?" I asked. She shrunk up against the wall, her eyes wide with fear. When she was far enough away, she bolted around me and into one of the bedroom doors. I moved to follow her but she slammed the door in my face.

"Lets go." Jason said behind me. I shook my head.

"No." I snapped. Raising my hands, I knocked on the door. "Kim! Talk to me. Please." I called through the door. I didn't hear anything on the other side; no movement no voices, no crying. Nothing. "Damn it, Kimberly! Come on." I slammed my palm down on the wood, the sting of tears in my eyes. This couldn't be happening again. Flashes to her leaving me for Florida came to mind and I shook my head.

"That's enough." Jason said, grabbing the collar of my shirt. He yanked my up the hall, me fighting against him. Looking up, I saw that Trini was standing outside of Kim's door looking up the hall at me. Jason opened the front door and the two of us found ourselves in the main hallway of the fourth floor. I stumbled backwards from him pulling me as he slammed the door shut behind us. "What the fuck has gotten into you?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips as he looked over at me.

"Fuck off." I seethed, cocking my fist back and popping him in jaw. The contact of his teeth with my knuckle split the skin, blood dripping down my fingers. He slammed back into the wall, holding his mouth.

"Bro, you've got no fucking clue what is going on." He said, standing up straight again. He winced when he licked his lip, a cut letting out a little blood in the corner of his mouth.

"No shit! You won't tell me anything." I snapped back. "If I just talk to Kim, I can-."

"You can't do anything, Tommy!" He shot back. "If you want to know so bad, stop being a prick and try to use your fucking brain." He grabbed the door knob and pulled the door open. "Google her for fuck's sake." He muttered, disappearing into the apartment. I heard the door lock behind him.


	42. New Story Preview 2

A/N: Hey guys! Here is the last preview for one of my upcoming fics. I think this one will be my summer long story and I am SUPER excited about it. Fingers crossed I can do a great job with it. Make sure to let me know what you think and I'll let you know when the first chapter will be coming!

* * *

 **The Broken**  
 _Story Preview_

The moonlight was shimmering down from above, casting a faint glow over everything it touched. It had almost a sparkling property to it, diamonds lacking in comparison. Tucking my hands in my back pockets, I followed the familiar trail along the lake. There was a light breeze in the air, tossing my hair over my shoulder as I walked. It had been some time since I could recall a peaceful moment like this. Between school, Ranger duties, and my parents' divorce, it was amazing I had time to breathe. It was moments like this that made me not want to jump head first from my Zord most days. I could hear the water lapping the water's edge, the breeze causing a ripple upon the surface of the water. The smell of the ocean was in the air, coming from the cost a few miles away. It was the perfect night. Stars twinkled in the ink black sky, making the moon look like the star of the show. It was amazing to think an evil witch and her empire was nestled on the surface of the large space rock.

"There you are." A voice said as I came around the corner between two willow trees. Glancing up, a smile played across my lips as I saw Tommy sitting on the larger rocks by the edge of the water.

"Sorry. It took forever for my mom to head to bed." I replied, walking towards him. He stood as he did, the dark green hoodie he was wearing falling over his hips. I could smell aftershave and his hair looked recently gelled, telling me he had showered before coming to see me. Taking three long strides, he met me on the path and pressed his lips to mine.

"I missed you." He whispered, taking my hands in his.

"It's only been a couple hours." I replied, smiling up at him.

"That's long enough for me." He kissed me again before turning and walking with me back towards the rocks. We passed them, heading towards the bridge that led to the other side of the lake. Tommy held my hand has we walked down the embankment next to the bridge instead of over it, finding some sand that was squishy went we stepped on it. I followed behind him as he ducked under the bridge, finding ourselves in a little cave. I smiled when I saw three or four candles set up with a little picnic basket on top of a blanket. "It's not much. It's all I could get in short notice without my mother finding out I was sneaking out."

"It's perfect." I said, turning and looking up at him. He smiled, his cheeks tinging red as he blushed. I stepped forward, leading him by the hand over to the blanket. I let go of his hand so I could kneel down. Careful of the candles, he knelt next to me. "What do you have there?" I asked, pointing at the basket.

"Well," He said, pulling the lid off of it. He reached in and pulled out a small glass bottle of what looked like wine. My nerves suddenly sky rocketed as I raised my eyebrows at him. "It's just sparkling juice." He added, giving me a reassuring smile. "I also have apple slices and some cheese."

"Is this how you charmed girls at your old school?" I asked, watching him pull out two plastic cups and a Tupperware counter. He laughed, shaking his head. He opened the juice and poured some into the glasses. Handing me one, he set his down and pulled the lid off the Tupperware container. I grabbed two slices of apple and bit into one.

"What girls? You're the first one that I've ever actually talked to." I scoffed.

"I don't believe that. With that hair, I'm sure you had all the girls fawning over you."

"Fawning? I think you spend too much time watching soap operas." Tommy moved the picnic basket and slid closer to me. I turned, putting my butt on the ground next to him and leaning into his side.

"90210 is not a soap opera." I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever you say, beautiful." He muttered, taking a sip of his juice. I looked up at him.

"What did you call me?" A blush filled his cheeks.

"Erm—beautiful. I won't if you don't want me to." I shook my head.

"No. I like it. But only if I can call you handsome."

"You can call me whatever you want." He whispered, leaning in and kissing me softly. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I snuggled into his side again.

"Maybe someday, we will be able to do this without sneaking around." I said, letting out a sigh.

"And hear how dangerous it is and how we would be putting all of humanity at risk? I think I could recite that lecture in my sleep if I hear it one more time." Tommy muttered, his thumb stroking my shoulder. "Zordon even has Jason giving it to me now."

"I know. Trini said something to be. I don't get it. Would it really be that bad if we were together? Isn't that what secret identities are for?" I let out a huff of air, crossing my ankles in front of me.

"It's okay. As long as I know and you know, that's good enough for me. I would love to tell the world that you're mine but I'm willing to wait until it's safer."

"How noble of you." I said, smirking up at him. He shrugged his shoulder, biting into a slice of apple.

"Well, I am a Power Ranger." He boasted. I rolled my eyes, taking a bite of cheese.

"Me too but you don't hear me bragging about it."

"Alright. Alright. No need to be so mean about it." He said, nuzzling my ear with his nose. I giggled, squirming from the tickling sensation. "You know; I would give anything in the world to just be right here with you forever."

"Me too." I whispered, looking up at him. "To just forget about school, the guys, all the ranger shit." I kissed him on the lips lightly. "Anything to just be with you." He reached over and cups my cheek in his hand, shifting so he was in front of me now.

"Kim, I don't know how to really describe it. It'll sound stupid, I'm sure. There's something about you that I just can't help but fall in love with." He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "I know it's only been a few months but I feel like I was supposed to meet you for some reason. Like Rita choose me just so that I would find my way to you." He let his hand fall away, turning so he was looking out at the dark water in front of us. He bent his knees and leaned his arms forward on them "When I was under Rita's spell, there was just something about you that wouldn't allow me to hurt you. No matter how hard I tried or how hard Rita commanded me, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was something she tried to overcome with other spells but she couldn't. And she could never explain it."

"Tommy," I said, putting a hand on his arm. "It's not stupid. I think I felt the same way. The entire time we were fighting you as the green ranger, I felt like there was something about you that wasn't evil. Even before we found out it was you. There was some kind of connection I couldn't explain. I was drawn to you. The others tried to tell me that I had to stay away from you after your identity was revealed but I couldn't. I wanted to save you and I had no clue why. I knew I liked you before that but it wasn't like a normal crush. This was more...intense. I felt like I had to do something because the universe wanted me to." He glanced over at me again.

"Like fate." I nodded. He shifted onto his knees and kissed me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he supported us with his other arm. Slowly, he lowered us down onto the blanket and I laid on top of him. His hand combed through my hair as our tongues met in a heated kiss. I slid my hands from around his neck and into his hair as he pulled me tighter against him. Something was growing inside of me that was warm and eager. Like it wanted me to run around Angel Grove and do cartwheels but also crawl into the pit of my bed and never leave. I could feel Tommy's heart beat in his chest under mine and I knew he could feel my own thundering as well. Tommy and I have teetered on the edge of this for a couple weeks now, not going all the way but coming pretty close. It wasn't that I didn't want to. I had told him before I'd be willing. He just never pushes the issue too much and I never press him about it. When we're ready, it'll happen. I know it will.

A sudden ticking faint ticking noise caught my attention. I could barely hear it over the sound of the water but it was there. It reminded me of a clock ticking. I pulled away from Tommy, glancing around. "What's the matter?" He asked, looking up at me. I didn't see anything that could be making the noise, not anything out of the ordinary.

"I thought I heard something." I replied, turning back to face him. I heard the noise again, this time louder. Tommy propped himself up on his elbow, glancing around.

"I heard it too." He said. Something moved from the other end of the bridge and I could see the outline of what I thought was a person. My grip on Tommy tightened as I watched the person swing their arm. Something detached from them and came flying through the air. A red light was flashing on it and the ticking noise grew louder. "Kim, watch out!" Tommy yelled, rolling us over as it hit the ground eight feet away from us and exploded. The noise was deafening as the bridge around us shattered into a million pieces, stone flying through the air. Tommy and I went flying as well, landing a few feet away. I Pain rippled through my side when we landed and I heard Tommy let out a gasp of pain as well, telling me he was alive at least. I took a breath, coughing as debris from the bridge coming in.

"Tommy!' I coughed out, trying to get the dust and dirt out of my lungs. It sputtered out, my lungs doing their best to try and get air in. He was motionless on top of me as I heard footsteps come towards us, stepping on the rumble of the bridge.

"Get…out…of…here." He whispered in my ear, slowly getting to his hands and knees. I pulled myself out from under him, the pain in my side almost blinding. I had broken a rib. That was a no brainer. Blood was smeared on Tommy's face and I wasn't sure whose it was. Bending down, I gasped through the pain and helped him to his feet.

"Aren't the two of you just sickeningly pathetic?" A woman's voice called through the dust. As it began to clear, I strained my eyes to see who it was. Next to me, Tommy took a fighting stance. Once it was settled, I saw a figure standing on a large hunk of stone. To my surprise, it was someone in a Power Ranger uniform. I could tell it was a woman, not only from their voice but their form in the uniform. It wasn't much different from ours, only that were was way more black on hers. There was a white belt around her hips, a black version of the Power Blast on the right. There were pink accents on her legs and pink and white stripes on her right arm. On her right shoulder, there was a bigger shoulder pad. There was a tattered black cap behind her, billowing slightly in the wind. On her chest, there was a large pink diamond connected to two smaller ones on either side of them. They were in the place where my white diamonds usually were. Her helmet was similar to mine as well, pink framing the visor. Instead of white, there was the same shade of black around the silver mouth piece. In her hand, I saw she was holding a bow. I could see the silver edges of it in the light of the street lamps, two red glowing gems on either side of her hand. It was as if it had been formed out of two swords put together by the hilt, forged together to make a deadly weapon.

"Tommy…" I whispered, a feeling of dread coming over me.

"No." He whispered back, shaking his head. "It's not. It can't be you."

"Bow down to me, Rangers. Bow down to me and pledge allegiance to Lord Drakkon, true ruler of all the Morphing Grid." The ranger called out, putting her hand on her hip. "Or else."

"Or else what?" Tommy called out, glaring at her.

"Or else you'll have to deal with me." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"I think we'll take our chances." I said, taking a fighting stance.

"Let me introduce myself. I am the Ranger Slayer. And they don't call me that for just any old reason either." She raised the bow and touch the bow string. Pulling it back, a neon pink arrow of light appeared, similar to the way mine does during battles. "I promise you that you'll regret the second option."

"We aren't backing down." Tommy said, his most serious face on through the blood and the muck that was caked on it. "We're the Power Rangers. We don't do that."

"Then let me show you how I live up to my name. Let's start with you, pinky." She released the arrow and it came hurdling straight towards me.

"Kim, no!" Tommy screamed, pushing me out of the way. I fell back, watching in horror as it slammed into him. Blood splattered through the air and on me from him as his eyes widened.

"TOMMY!"


End file.
